Only Tears
by BluBooThalassophile
Summary: Sasuke back, but why? Sakura wonders why he'd be back when he never expressed an interest in being back. But now he's here and he's with her, what's he up to? Sakura's wary, but why? Sasuke wonders why she'd be cautious around him, he wonders about the changes to her personality. But he's back to figure it out, so why's she avoiding him?
1. Giving Up

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Giving Up**

She gave up, she just surrendered. There was no reason behind her reasoning of giving up, just this unending dispair which had only been made worse in the weeks following the wedding. Naruto had of course married Hinata, and what a beautiful ceremony it had been. Everyone had been there, everyone had smiled, laughed and enjoyed themselves in the celebration of Naruto and Hinata starting their lives. Even she could not deny the joy she had felt for her friends and for their happiness. But at the same time she had been alone, utterly alone as she stood there smiling and clapping for her friends.

She had been the only one attending the wedding without a date (aside from Kakashi but that was a different matter entirely), and it wasn't really intentional on her part. It had more to do with she had no interest in dating, and it was painfully clear now she'd forever be single. Yes, it had taken a wedding, the happiest moment of anyone's life to realize she'd never be loved. Single forever! She might as well have a sign flashing above her head for the village to see.

The reason she had noticed it at the wedding was because everyone, and she did mean everyone was paired up. And there she had been, alone, with Kakashi-sensi who was rather like a perverted uncle in her mind while she looked around the sea of faces for that one face. The one face she always looked for, and knew he wasn't there. So she surrendered now, it wasn't too late for her to pick up what was left of her life or her dignity, it wasn't too late to be happy, and it wasn't too late to accomplish her simple dreams. True these dreams would be shattered because they weren't with the one she loved but at least she could have something rather than nothing.

And now that she had returned home, to her empty apartment she broke. The date she had just endured had drained her emotionally, and it had made her realize something she had rather forget. She was hopelessly, irrevocably, pathetically, stupidly in love with him and he would never return those feelings for her. She didn't matter, it didn't matter what she did for him or what she would do for him. She would never matter and tonight had proven it to her.

Stumbling through her apartment she choked back the sobs until she made it to where she kept them. Opening her closet she looked at the little box where she had tucked them away, where she had always put them when she received them and glared mercilessly at them. She hated them, she hated that they mattered so much to her because they were from him! Tears slipped from her eyes then as she slumped to the floor and sobbed.

Over the last few years, since the war really, she had written him endlessly. She had written about everything, nothing, she had written him like he were her best friend, like he had never left. She had ranted about bad days, mercilessly pestered him with questions, and told him about everything going on in the village and in her life. It wasn't as if it were intentional, she had just found him, she had just gotten him back and she had been ecstatic. Her letters could be anywhere from ten to twenty pages, easy, when she had started writing him. His were always two, occasionally three but rarely less than two. And in the last year she had figured out why his letters were never more than two pages, he only answered her questions. So she had taken the hint and written him less, she still wrote him; she had about ten unsent letters in her dresser drawer, but she didn't send him letters weekly anymore. She had begun writing him once a month and since she didn't think he wanted to talk to her she kept her letters short; about two pages now and her font had stayed the same size.

And now, as she sat sobbing on her bedroom floor she wished she had never written him that first letter. She hugged herself, rocked herself, and tried to lessen the ache in her heart knowing it was impossible. Giving up on him was killing her, she knew it even as she sobbed and let her tears fall on his letters. He didn't care, oh how she wished he did but he didn't and so now she was here crying, trying to bring herself up the courage to throw those damn letters away. But she didn't have it, it was the last piece of him she had and she didn't want to lose it.

Crying she got up, slipped out of the dress she had worn on the date pulled on an old sleep shirt, fell onto her bed and closed her eyes.

The tears wouldn't stop. She wished they would, but come tomorrow it would be like they had never been and she didn't know if that was alright or not. But it was how she wanted it to be.

* * *

He sat outside her window, she didn't know he was there; no one knew he was here; and just stared at what he had seen. She had just fallen on the floor, held a box and cried as if it had been the end of her world. He hadn't understood it. The only reason he was even in the village at this moment was because he had been concerned about Sakura. Her letters had shortened, drastically and quickly within the last year, he had hadn't thought too much about it because she was no doubt a busy woman. But the dobe's letters had revealed something different entirely, and he hadn't thought too much about it at first. Then her letters had slowed in coming, he had always looked forward to receiving her letters a few times a week, and now they came once a month. This had sparked his concern.

The dobe announced in his last letter that Sakura was dating, and it was going stupendously. This had ignited rage with in him and he had come hurrying back to the village because he had to know. He had to know if Sakura was really dating or if the dobe was just lying to laugh about this later. Sasuke wouldn't put it past him. But no, the dobe hadn't lied.

He had watched as Sakura readied herself for her date, she had done up her pretty pink hair, painted her lips and hid the seal she had earned from the war, she had shimmied into a beautiful green dress which brought out her eyes, and she had walked out that door without looking back. He had watched as she laughed, and chatted, and had a good time that night. He had almost committed murder when her date kissed her, just a light peck on the lips. She had blushed, said she'd talk to him later before she had walked into her apartment leaving the man stunned outside her door; for that he felt smug satisfaction.

But then he had watched as she burst into tears, just sat there hugging a box and crying. He hadn't understood that at all. Weren't women supposed to be…bubbly after dates? Sasuke didn't understand this at all, was this the reason for her drastic change in behavior. He still had all her letters, he even reread them when he was homesick. At least he had been rereading the old ones because as of late her letters were not all that wonderful to read. They were rather dull and routine, he missed the old letters. And when it came down to it, he missed her.

Silently he slipped into her apartment to walk over to the closet. She grumbled something as she turned on her bed, he stiffened as he watched her move then went back to the box she had hugged. What was so important about this box? He wondered as he carefully opened it.

Inside, his heart stopped, there were all his letters. Every single one, he glanced over at the bed where the pinkette was sleeping. Why had she cried? He wondered as he walked over, she was still crying, he didn't like it. Silently he looked around the room, it was hers' and it was homely, he looked back down at her sleeping form. Why was she crying?

"Sasuke," she whispered, he froze.

"He hates me," she grumbled as she rolled away from him. That had rage roaring in him then. He did not hate her! How could she think such a thing!? He'd just have to ask her about it, tomorrow. He'd decided he'd have to stick around the village for a bit because he was going to find out where Sakura got this ridiculous notion of him hating her from. And then he was going to skewer the asshole who had put it in her head. Gently he pushed a pink strand of hair out of her face and looked her over again.

Tears still slipped down her cheeks as she slept.

What could make her so sad?

* * *

 **Sorry about the last few days but I've been sick, going to work, downing cold medicine and sleeping. Also when I'm sick I only really feel like drawing, and I have been drawing a lot because I'm sick so...  
**

 **Oh well, I'm going to try to finish everything I have promised in the next few weeks but it'll be tough. Still I'm working on it diligently because people are counting on me.**

 **Again sorry about the last few days folks but I feel like SHIT! I want to curl up under the covers and die I feel so shitty. I hate being sick!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	2. Returning

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Returning**

Sasuke would admit he didn't know what to expect as he walked through the gates of the village. And whatever he had been expecting was not this as he walked towards Uchiha Manor, the women wouldn't leave him alone! Seriously! It was annoying! All he wanted to do was run for the hills and continue his mission for atonement but he was here because of Sakura, he was worried about his old teammate and he'd be having the answers he sought!

He would know why Sakura cried herself to sleep and why she cried. It wasn't that it mattered or anything but it was something which had him concerned for her. Sakura was not the crying type of girl, anymore, he knew she had toughened up a lot since their Team 7 days. She no longer cried, she did not need his protection and she did not express every emotion she felt running through her. Though he wished she would, it would make it so much easier to know what was going through that pink head of hers' if she was just as open as she used to be.

Finally he made it to his old house, it wasn't a place he particularly liked but until Sakura was back to normal he'd be here. Of that he was certain and for some reason he didn't mind being here for her. Though he would get her to talk to him, how he didn't know but it was Sakura. She loved him, he knew this and he was willing to bet she'd talk to him because she loved him.

Sasuke walked to the room which had been his childhood home and decided he had better move to a larger room. There was no way in hell he'd fit on that bed anymore. Had he really been so small? He couldn't really remember ever being small but he must've been at one point. He walked into his parents' room, the bed was large enough but even after all these years it felt wrong to walk into this room. He was quick to exit and make his way to the guest room. This would work for his stay in the village. Putting his minimal things away he held Sakura's…novels; honestly he was certain these could string together as a book! Holding them he looked around, walking over to the nightstand he remembered the false bottom and hid the letters there. It'd be best for no one to know about them.

"Teme!" he winced when Naruto's voice pierced his peaceful silence. But he was quick to leave his room and find Naruto before Naruto could find trouble or mess something up. It didn't take the idiot long to create a mess or find trouble or to just destroy something.

"Dobe, not so loud!" he snapped as he walked down to the main level of the house. The blonde idiot grinned then, it highlighted his whiskers and made him appear rather fox-ish in Sasuke's mind.

"You're back! You're really back!" Naruto was acting like a little kid then, Sasuke frowned.

"For how long?" the blonde demanded.

He shrugged, he'd be here until he figured out what was wrong with Sakura.

* * *

"Uchiha's back!" Ino informed her happily as they walked home together. Sakura just nodded then. "Are you alright, Sakura?"

"Huh? Oh, Yeah, I'm fine I'm just thinking!" she smiled then, she had to hide now. Just leave! That's all her mind screamed at her to do, but her heart was aching and demanding her to return to him. She would talk to Kakashi about getting a mission to get her out of the village until Sasuke left, and he would leave again! Of that she had no doubt. And when he left she'd return.

"Thinking about him?"

"No," Sakura lied with a happy smile.

"Really!?" Ino gave her a speculative look, her Inner Sakura was steaming with fury and wanted to stomp off to destroy the bastard who had ripped her heart into a million and one pieces, but Inner Sakura was also on guard against Ino, just in case. That was the beauty of being her sometimes, having two hers in her made her a rare case on Ino's mind jutsu and she was able to kick Ino; or anyone else for that matter; out of her head.

"Yeah really, I'm thinking about going on a date this week with the new doctor," Sakura lied. In truth she wanted nothing to do with the obnoxious redheaded doctor, but perhaps in giving into his demands for a date she'd be free from Sasuke. One could only hope, right?

"Really? What about Sasuke?"

"What about him?" Sakura challenged.

"You're nuts about him!" Ino reminded her.

"Not anymore, he can go leap off a cliff for all I care," she admitted the truth then. Perhaps if he did leap off of said cliff her heart might be a bit better. Then again perhaps not, if he died there was this very real possiblity that her heart would die with him. But fuck that! The Uchiha had done enough damage to her tattered heart and had rejected her every turn in their lives, she would no longer be 'nuts' about him. She'd be platonic about him or hostile but she would no longer be nuts about him. She would not have him stringing her along so he could destroy whatever remained of her heart. No, that was not happening. If the Uchiha decided she were the love of his life then it was too fucking late, she was moving on; even if her love wasn't; and she would find a man who would cherish her, and adore her, and TALK to her.

Yes whatever man she went to next would talk to her! He would tell her how he felt and he would tell her she was beautiful and he would tell her she meant the world to him. And even if it was a lie she would reciprocate that to whoever claimed to love her because she would not torment some poor idiot the way the Uchiha had tormented her for years. She would not express her love for the Uchiha anymore! He would not know she loved him and perhaps, one day, when the pain of loving him lessened then she could be his friend. But until then she didn't give a damn about the Uuchiha! Her heart still wanted to see him, traitor, she thought scowling to herself.

Her heart was a traitor!

* * *

 **Hey, been a while but shit's been going down in my life. I mean seriously! Holy shit! Between work, being sick, drama, and every possible fuck up imaginable lately life's been hell! But I finally have a day to myself, granted I'm sicker than a dog but I have the day, so I'm catching up on my updates!  
**

 **And to the news you all want! This upcoming week's updates:**

 **Today:**

 **-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

 **-A Chapter of Rain for Tears**

 **-A Chapter of Healing Pain**

 **-A Chapter of Only Tears**

 **Sunday:**

 **-A Chapter of Rain for Tears  
**

 **-A chapter of Never Be the Same**

 **Monday:**

 **-Hopefully what's left of Why Should I Worry (there's 7 or 8 chapters left, I'll have to double check but I have a few of them written I just need to post them!)**

 **-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

 **-A Chapter of Healing Pain**

 **Tuesday:**

 **-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

 **-A Chapter of Only Tears**

 **-Maybe a chapter of Rain for Tears  
**

 **Wednesday:**

 **-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

 **-A Chapter of Rain for Tears  
**

 **-A Chapter of Only Tears**

 **-A Chapter of Healing Pain**

 **Thursday:**

 **-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

 **-A Chapter of Because I Love You**

 **Friday:**

 **-A long overdue chapter of 36 Weeks & Counting; I've been trying to figure out the best ending for it at the moment... but it'll be done before the end of June! Promise! =)**

 **-3 to 5 Chapters of Trying Not to Neuter Him (I'm having a bit of difficulty with this one but no challenge is too great! I will write this!)**

 **-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

 **Saturday:**

 **-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

 **-A Special One-Shot for Father's Day; My Father (the counterpart for My Mother)**

 **-3 to 5 Chapters of Trying Not to Neuter Him**

 **-A Chapter of Rain for Tears**

 **-A Chapter of one of the Naruto fanfics [Only Tears or Healing Pain] (hopefully... We'll see about those)**

 **As Always I'm Putting My Originals Ahead of My Fanfics But Since George Is Trying to Eat My Originals Lately I'll Be Working On Fanfics. I almost have enough money to buy a new computer, provided nothing else should blow up in my life that requires lots of money to fix it...**

 **I SO Want A New Computer... I really wanna work on my original stuff and not have it destroyed!**

 **Anyways, That's the game plan for the week folks!**

 **Sorry for not focusing on my old stuff, but life's been eating me alive lately.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	3. Avoiding

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Avoiding**

"What do you mean there's no missions available?" Sakura demanded as she hurried after Kakashi, she needed to get out of here while Sasuke was here. She didn't think she could stand facing him, not after all this time.

"There are no missions available to a medical-nin of your caliber, besides you're needed here." Kakashi pointed out the obvious and she felt like screaming then as she stomped off knowing she was not going to change his mind about this matter. And rather than fight him on the matter she'd go with plan B: Avoid Sasuke Uchiha. This was going to be mission impossible.

Worse than impossible.

And to make her life worse she now was drawn to the Uchiha she was now going to have to actively avoid. How much worse could the matter get? Sakura stopped in the hall as she pondered her newest of dilemmas. Avoiding Sasuke Uchiha wouldn't be easy, especially when her heart yearned to be near him. But she was certain, that in all her training as a medic, she could avoid him. After all she had avoided Sasori's puppets, and that had been far more challenging than an Uchiha. She could do this, yes, she was Tsunade's apprientice and she was the best Medical-nin ever! She could avoid on measely Uchiha, even if she craved to be near him.

"Sakura," she froze then. The voice, the atmosphere, the simple presence near her had her all being rooted in her spot. Her heart was pounding dramatically in her chest, and her body was charged as if lightning had touched her. Her brain and her Inner were on guard though as her heart continued to be the traitor it was. But she didn't turn around as she stood there staring straight ahead.

"I gotta go," Sakura said without turning around as she sprinted out of the offices. She didn't slow as she raced through the streets of the village towards her apartment. Get away! Her brain and Inner demanded it as she ran, her heart through traitorously demanded she turn around and smile at him.

"Watch it Ugly!" Sai grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the path of an oncoming group of kids. She glared at her monotoned friend then as she yanked herself from his grasp.

"What did you call me!?" she hissed, he smiled sheepishly.

"Nothing, Ugly," he replied and she took a step towards him about to punch him when black caught her eye. The spikey hair, the lean build, the menacing aura. She forgot about punching Sai at this moment as she bolted again. It would be for the best if she did not see the Uchiha, the moment she saw him again she'd likely melt and he'd walk all over her again. Or worse… he'd try to kill her again! And she'd let him all because she fucking loved him!

Love sucked!

Yes it did. Years of loving him only lead to pain and when she had asked to go with him, for one last chance, for one last hope he had said no. He had poked her in the center of her embarrassingly large forehead and said 'thank you' which had sparked a hope within her which he had thoroughly killed over these last few years. Why couldn't the Uchiha just leave her alone? Why did she have to love him!? And worse, why couldn't she love someone else?

Sakura made it into her apartment where she all but barricaded the door in her vain attempt to avoid him. Perhaps if she pretended he wasn't here then he'd go away, she hoped he'd go away. Sakura stumbled to her room and flopped onto the bed face first. She was pathetic. _**P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C!**_ Only she was fool enough to fall hopelessly in love with a man who had tried to kill her; on multiple occasions too; and couldn't fall out of love with him.

She needed to reevaluate how she loved people. But until her heart stopped being a traitor she wouldn't think about who she loved and why she loved them.

"Sakura," she groaned into the pillow. She forgot to lock the fucking window! Damn Uchiha.

* * *

Sasuke had stared at the back of a pink head and his heart had all but leapt into his throat. He had called her name, perhaps he'd discover what was ailing her then. But she had bolted, he had felt stunned and shocked and hurt as he watched that pink hair fly into the crowd. She tried to be gone, but he had almost lost his temper when she was grabbed by someone. They had briefly exchanged words and he had felt like doing murder because the man hadn't removed his hand from Sakura's person. She had seen him, he knew she had seen him coming, he had seen her green eyes widen with something and then she had ran again.

"Sakura," he was now sitting in her window, again staring at the back of her head and she groaned as if she were in pain. He frowned then.

"Damn it," he heard her grumble into her pillow.

"What are you doing?" he looked at her blocked door then. Just what had compelled the woman to barricade her door? Then again this was Sakura and she was an odd one. She was also exceedingly annoying but she hadn't acknowledged him yet as she lay there.

"I'm trying to keep an unwanted visitor out of my apartment and failing miserably," she grumbled as she propped herself up to glare at him. That was more like it, he thought as he stared at her emerald eyes which held so many secrets. He wondered when she started hiding what she was feeling or thinking? Sakura had never been one to hide anything.

"What do you want, Sasuke?" she sighed as she sat up.

Who said he wanted anything? Perhaps all he wanted was to make certain someone he knew was alright. Was it a crime now to be worried about her? But from the looks of her he wouldn't say that to her.

"Hn." He replied, she frowned.

* * *

 **Sorry about yesterday, but I fell asleep then woke today to be dragged from Kingdom Kong to Timbuktu and Hell and back. So the updates are a tad bit off but hey...  
**

 **C'est la vie.**

 **Anyways I'll be on track by the end of tonight for tomorrow.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	4. Curious

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Curious**

Sasuke watched the pinkette frown at him as he remained perched on her windowsill. She looked depressed as her emerald eyes looked at him. Why was she so sad? He didn't think he could've done anything to have brought that look to her eyes. She was looking at him with such wide sad green eyes he had to fight back the desire to step into her apartment because it was clear she did not want anyone in her apartment. He had just witnessed her barricading her door so it was safe to assume trespassers would be meeting Sakura's fist.

"What do you want Sasuke?" she repeated her question. He tilted his head a bit, did he really need something to come see her after she had ran away from him? Apparently he did, he'd make up an excuse, something believable so she would come with him.

"The dobe invited me to lunch with him, Hinata and Kakashi, he asked if I would ask you to join." It wasn't a complete lie, he was going to lunch with his friend and his wife and Kakashi had decided to join so why not bring Sakura along? The dobe had been pestering him since he had arrived to see how she was, but he wasn't going to go sticking his nose into Sakura's life. Especially when he was only here to figure out what was wrong with her before he left again.

"Oh, give me a second and I'll be right out," she perked up a bit at what he said. Internally he was relieved, exteriorly he was indifferent to her little joy. Sakura stood then and smiled evilly as she came up to him.

"But firstly, Uchiha… _ **GET OUT OF MY ROOM!**_ " she roared as she shoved him from the windowsill and slammed her window shut before dragging her curtains over the window. He landed on his feet and frowned at her window and at her new attitude. Walking to the front of her building he waited for her, she came out, blinked at the sight of him then frowned. He frowned back. Just what was wrong with Sakura? He was trying to be nice! And it was killing him internally as they walked in silence to the ramen shop Naruto loved.

Neither he nor Sakura spoke as they walked, normally she'd be talking up a storm by now and he wondered why she was so silent at this moment. Perhaps she just had a lot on her mind. He could believe that because of how important Sakura was to the village. He didn't think she would purposely ignore anyone, not even him when it was clear she was less than thrilled to be around him.

Still he couldn't help but wonder what had happened to her to make her so…standoffish. It was like she was watching everyone and everything around her as a threat. Aside from the war, which had been years ago, she didn't have any reason to be like this. At least in his mind she didn't have any reason to be like this. Then again he could be wrong, and where Sakura was concerned he usually was wrong. He had almost always been wrong where she was concerned; even when they had been children.

He looked down at his companion and wonder what had changed in her.

* * *

Sakura didn't want to be with him, it was killing her on the inside being so close to him and not being able to touch him or talk to him or love him. But his letters, the letters which had never changed in length, revealed to her that she meant nothing to him. Yep, nothing. Years of hopelessly loving him had led her to this pain and this loneliness and this exhaustion. She felt so utterly alone even as her heart skipped beats in her chest, her stomach had butterflies, and her head was screaming at her for her stupidity again because her body was reminding her just how much she loved him. It wasn't fair, how come she had love someone who didn't even love her.

And Sakura knew, beyond a sliver of a reasonable doubt, that Sasuke Uchiha did not love her, hell she had a feeling he didn't even like her. And at one point, not too long ago, he had hated her with a fiery passion and tried to kill her. Still, she was hopelessly in love with him and it didn't help her knowing this. For once, in her life, she wanted love not to hurt. Just once she wanted to be able to smile at the love of her life and hug him and hold him close to her and for him to love her in return. But as Sakura walked with Sasuke she realized that that was nothing more than a pipe dream.

The Uchiha, despite all the drastic changes in him, was still the same at the core. And he did not love her, at all. Sakura peeked up at her dark companion and closed her eyes a bit as she walked. Love fucking sucked! And she was going to have a talk with Ino or Tenten or Temari about them setting her up on another blind date or something. She needed to see someone else who was not Sasuke.

Perhaps with time she could learn to care about; and maybe even love; a different man. But she needed a distraction from Sasuke, he was breaking her heart again and the worse part was he didn't even know he was breaking her. Then again Sakura had never really been the breakable type.

She had loved Sasuke since she was a child, she had loved him when he was lost in his hatred, she had loved him when he had been a dangerous missing-nin, she had loved him when he had tried to kill her, she had loved him when he had been on trial, she had loved him when he had left the village in search of redemption, and she had loved him even when he didn't love her. Sakura hated love, and she hated that her love was exclusive for him when he didn't need it nor did he want it. That much was clear to her. The Uchiha did not need her.

But that didn't stop her from loving him.

* * *

 **Hey, long day, sorry for not updating this more frequently but I shall try to continue updating this story.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	5. New Beginnings

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **New Beginnings**

Sakura stretched out in her bed and sighed as she stared at the ceiling then. It had been a week since Sasuke's return and in that week her life had been turned upside down. To her it was most shocking thing in the world for Sasuke to be interested in her. He had started picking her up from the hospital and then he had started taking her to lunch and sparring. Though at first it was odd to her but by the end of the second day it was a becoming her routine and at the end of the third day it was her normal.

Sasuke was acting odd in her opinion but she wouldn't press the Uchiha in this matter of his new odd behavior. She would act as if his new oddities were none of her concern. There was no way she was going to be prodding him or carrying about what he was doing. No, she wouldn't care. There would be no afffections from her for him because she was going to marry a reliable, understandable man who wouldn't let her go nor would he try to kill her. She would have a happy marriage and maybe one day, if she acted happy long enough she would be happy and in love with whoever she had married.

But for now she wouldn't turn the Uchiha down for his attention at the moment. She rather liked having his attention for the moment. Not that it would matter she assured herself as she sat up and walked to her tiny kitchen. It wouldn't matter because he did not matter, no he didn't; she assured herself as she began making breakfast. She sighed internally when she heard her window open and started making tomatoes too. He appeared beside her then, she just handed him his omelet and tomatoes then grabbed her coffee and omelet before walking to her dining table. It was too early to be dealing with him this morning. Sighing she sipped her coffee and ate her breakfast in silence as he sat beside her and ate his breakfast. Why was it she made him a meal? It was as if she were inviting the stray to come live with her,

"Sakura," he greeted.

"Huh," she grumbled as she propped her head up on her fist and ate. Exhaustion did not even begin to cover how she was feeling at this moment as she sat there with him and ate in silence. After breakfast she stood up, left her dishes as she walked stiffly towards her shower. He would at least do the dishes, to her shock he did take care of the little things in her home. Like her herbs, oh and the stray cat she had been coaxing to stay around her apartment and the dishes, not to mention laundry when needed (this had been to both of their shock after one grueling sparring match). Short of clearing out a drawer and giving him a toothbrush she was certain he practically lived here with her. Though whether that was good or bad didn't matter because he did not matter.

She thought of him as a stray cat or something who came and went as he pleased. And one day he'd be gone just as suddenly as he arrived. That was how Uchihas worked though, his brother had been the same way the few times she had met Itachi before his death. Sasuke would never admit it but she knew he rather liked coming around whenever he pleased but she also knew he would leave one day. Though when was beyond her.

Finally finishing her shower she walked into the main room wrapped securely in her towel then grabbed her coffee before walking back into her room leaving a dumbfounded Sasuke at her dining table. Not that she cared, she assured herself for the millionth time. But why was she leaning against her door with her heart pounding if she didn't care. Damn it, she thought then dropped her towel and pulled on her normal attire before finishing her coffee then walking back into the main room where he was sitting.

"Sasuke, remember to lock the window," she said coldly as she walked out the door.

* * *

Sasuke just grumbled a bit as he walked to the window he had used and then did as Sakura ordered before landing beside her on the street. He had initiated the routines with her and he wasn't going to break them but he was going to add to them and test his boundaries with her. Testing the boundaries was something that he had been doing since he had arrived back in this village; which he still was uncomfortable in. But it didn't matter because Sakura hadn't thrown him out yet.

Her emerald eyes slid up to him with suspicion as he added yet another routine and tested yet another boundary with Sakura. He shrugged casually and she just continued walking to the hospital in silence. Though he missed her talking he wasn't shocked, he was amazed she even let him near her; still the silence was deafening to him as he walked with her. But he wasn't surprised as he walked her to the hospital.

"Have a nice day Sasuke," she said carefully.

"See you later," he promised as he watched her disappear into the hospital. He waited a second.

Alright, now he teleported straight to Kakashi who was waiting for him in the Hokage's office. It was still odd seeing his lazy, perverted, sensei in a position of power. It was also slightly concerning as he stood before Kakashi.

"There's been a new threat development, an unknown poison master is attacking Suna and Gaara has asked for the help of the Leaf." Kakashi informed him.

"Hn," he replied as he took the offered file. It wasn't like he was a healer of sorts but he was certain he could take out a poison master with ease.

"They've asked for Sakura's aid, you are going to be her escort," Kakashi announced. Sasuke just lifted a brow then, he was to do _**WHAT!?**_

* * *

 **Hey, yay more updates! I've been loving my new computer! in regards to a naming it...I'm not certain if I will but we shall see. I only named George because I yelled at him so often it felt odd to be yelling at something nameless. So I don't know if I'll name my beautiful, new, very shiny, working computer just yet.**

 **As for updates this week there will definitely be a lot of them; my main focus will probably be wrapping up 36 Weeks & Counting, that's coming to a close. And I'll probably also focus on Trying Not to Neuter Him and Trying Not to Grow Up so I'm going to be busy. Also my daily updates will be rotating between this, Rain for Tears and Healing Pain, I'll try to get at least one of these updated once a day. **

**Over the course of the next few weeks I'm planning on be aggressive in my updates and finishing up stories. I'm doing this so I can relax a bit come August, I was writing so much fanifiction these last few months because George was devouring my original works and since I now have a working computer I'm going to slowly ease off of my fanfiction and focus again on my original works! =) I'm thrilled about this! I'm not leaving fanfiction though, I'll still post here but I'll only be managing 3 or 4 stories rather than 10.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	6. Frustrations

**Frustrations**

Walking out of the hospital she avoided the nurses and doctors so she could actually go home after a twenty hour shift. All she wanted was her pillow and if she heard one call for her name to come back she was going to collapse. With the Uchiha in town she didn't get much sleep, and not in the way people assumed because people were just general pervs. She didn't sleep because she was nervous and anxious with him around.

She was nervous in a sexual way, there was a way he looked at her which had her entire body throbbing and aching and yearning; it was fucking distracting and it did not help to be a virgin with no time for sex when he looked at her like that. Honestly she was seriously considering dating Rock Lee just so she could rid herself of that tension but as soon as she thought that she usually felt like a slut for thinking that way.

And she was anxious because it was Sasuke, the man she had loved since she had been a genin. So yes, there was some anxiety there but again it was sexual and irritating as hell because there was no way to relieve it. All she wanted was a good bout of hot sex, lose her virginity, and get the fuck over Uchiha Sasuke because it was time to face reality, he would never love or care about her. All she was to him was a nuisence and that was something she was coming to accept.

Sighing she slipped into the dark streets of the village and felt relieved that she had made it out of the hospital without being spotted or called after. Quickly she navigated the village, her fist ready to pummel the fool who tangled with her; it would possibly relieve some of her tension if she could get into a good, serious fight. Perhaps she'd have a talk with Sai about that, he did not understand what 'good easy' meant so he would throw all he had at her in a sparring match. It would be challenging but fun; of that she had no doubt. Unlike Naruto and Kakashi he never held back, and that was why she liked sparring with him; that and kicking his ass felt good because he would _**NOT**_ stop calling her Ugly and it irritated her still. Though she loved him that nickname infuriated her still.

Sakura just walked into her apartment complex and breathed a sigh of relief when she shut the door behind her, flipped that lock then began striping as she walked to her room. First her boots, then her jacket, then her shirt, then her belt, her pants and spandex, then she unhooked her bra before stretching a bit to relieve some of her discomfort as she walked into her room. As she passed her couch she stopped midstride then glanced over at the shadow sitting there. Red eyes blinked at her green ones before it clicked in her mind to whom those red eyes belonged too. Sakura screamed then she threw a book from her table at the shadow.

There was a grunt in the shadows but she didn't care as she raced to her room to find clothing. Of all the things to have done in front of the Uchiha! Holy shit! She'd never be able to look him in the eye ever again! Great Kami she'd never live this down!

Wait…

Why the fuck was he here, uninvited, in her empty apartment? Her temper boiled over her embarrassment of what just happened. She had a right to act as she pleased in her home because it was hers'! Not that Uchiha's! Pulling on an oversized night shirt she stomped out into her living room with her temper seething and her fist ready to pummel the pervert into oblivion. Honestly! She expected shit like this from Naruto; even if he was with Hinata he was still a pervert; she did not feel she had to tolerate it from Sasuke, Kakashi or Sai and the Uchiha was about to learn why. And honestly he was the last person she expected this from!

"Sasuke!" she snarled as she stomped into her living room. He was wisely standing and near the window which had no doubt been his entry. Good! It would save her from throwing him out, he was already at the fucking window.

"Sakura! It's not what you think!" he started. She pulled her fist back. "Kakashi sent me, we have a mission." It didn't stop her from clocking him as hard as she could in her low chakra state. He slammed into the floor.

"Fuck me," she grumbled. But now she had to tolerate him until he told her what the mission was. To her disappointment he hadn't put up a fight, she wished he had. Then she wouldn't be feeling guilty at this moment. Sighing she hefted his body up and dragged him to the couch then she staggered to her bed and fell face first onto her pillow.

She'd pummel the Uchiha for real when she was one: awake; two: knew what the mission was; and three: when he'd at least put up a fight.

* * *

Sasuke knew it was a dirty trick, but he had seen how tired and chakra depleted she was when he let her land her blow on his jaw. Though it hurt like hell it hadn't been enough to knock him out, but it was enough to still send him to the floor, and so he pretended to be out. What he hadn't expected was for her to drag him to the couch and prop him on it and now he was going to have to stay here to talk to her come morning.

He waited a while then opened his eyes as he stood in her apartment. The sight of her in nothing but her black bikini bottom had been enticing to say the least and stirred some not so forgotten desires within him. But around her those desires often times came to the surface whether he wanted them there or not. He slowly walked to her room then walked in, she was sprawled on her bed and sound asleep. He slowly tucked her under the covers, though he regretted covering those glorious legs of hers' he knew she'd be cold if she didn't sleep under the covers. Then he sat at the end of her bed on guard as she rested.

Their upcoming mission would be dangerous and he had a bad feeling about it already, and Sakura didn't even know about it. So he'd stand guard over her until she truly knew what they would be doing.

* * *

 **And that is the last of my updates for the night!**

 **Night, I'll have two (possibly three) updates tomorrow but I have a few real life matters to attend to so we shall see what I update. I can only really promise 36 Weeks & Counting because I'm trying to finish that story up. I'm thinking I'll update Until the Day I Die or Healing Pain again tomorrow but we shall see won't we...!? Anyways...**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Night!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	7. Annoyance

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Annoyance**

Sitting at her kitchen table with her breakfast, coffee, and the Uchiha who silently sat with her as she pondered the best way to ditch him. Why didn't he just go away? He never stuck around anyways so why was he here now? It wasn't like there was anything for him here, she had nothing left to give him nor did she have anything left for him to take. So why couldn't he just leave her alone like he always did and let her be? Sakura was beginning to think Sasuke really was a sadist and she was a masochist because who willingly let their heart be ripped to shreds over and over?

"What do you want Sasuke?" Sakura yawned into her coffee. The Uchiha studied her, she could feel his black gaze on her but she refused to look up at him. Mostly because if she looked at him she'd melt and her anger about him being here last night would be forgotten. The jerk did not get to see her practically naked and get forgiven so easily. Nope. But on the other hand he was not Naruto or Sai or Kakashi or Yamato so she couldn't exactly pummel him into a bloody pulp. If she could she would but…

It was Uchiha Sasuke after all and beating him to a bloody pulp; even if he deserved it; wasn't likely because one actually had to be superior to him in skill in fighting. Which face it, few were and she, Haruno Sakura, was definitely not one of those few. She might land a lucky punch or two on him but in a full out fight she would be royally fucked because no one could best him. His power even surpassed that of Naruto's, so Sakura would not look at him or forgive him easily.

"Hokage has a mission for us to head to Suna, Gaara needs your expertise," Sasuke said in his monotone voice. "There's a poison master attacking his family, Temari is under the Nara clan protection at this moment and confined to the Leaf, Gaara's brother Kankurō is confined to Suna with Gaara as the ANBU from Suna search for this poison master. The problem they have that they have requested aid for, is the poisons, they can't seem to break down what the poisons are at this moment. Apparently they need help, and grudgingly, ask for your assistence since you apparently saved Kankurō."

Sakura blinked.

"That's it?"

"Aa," Sasuke nodded.

"And you broke into my apartment to tell me that in the morning?" she question now glaring over at the love of her miserable life. He merely looked indifferent to the whole situation as of this moment, it was as if last night had never happened for him though to her satisfaction he was sporting a nasty bruise on his jaw at this moment. Yes, Sakura was most pleased to see that bruise.

"Aa," he replied.

"And why are you telling me rather than Kakashi?" she asked in a cold tone as she sipped her coffee and contemplated the new mission. She'd be traveling to Suna for certain, she had no doubt about that and didn't mind. Perhaps this was her opportunity to get away from her annoying Uchiha. Yes she could like this mission especially since it could get her away from him. Sasuke probably didn't care one way or the other but she was so damn tired of hurting around him that she wanted to get away. Suna would be a fun retreat even if she was stuck in a greenhouse deciphering poisons. Either way she'd be free of Sasuke.

"Because I am to escort you to Suna, guard you, and then bring you back to the village safely."

And now her head hit her table in irritation. Why the hell would Kakashi do this to her!? What the hell had she done to him lately!? _**NOTHING!**_ There was _**NOTHING**_ she could've done lately that had earned her this cruel punishment and unique brand of hell. But leave it to Kakashi to be crueler to her than the Uchiha. Ugh, her inner sighed, now they'd have to try to ignore the Uchiha on a mission of their own and not lose sight of their mission.

If she survived this mission and made it back to the village she would be having a heart to fist talk with her old sensei who would tremble in fear from her wrath. Sakura finally rested her chin on the table so she could glare at Sasuke.

* * *

Sasuke wisely sipped his coffee as he watched Sakura's reaction to the mission. He wouldn't be so fool as to open his mouth and be sporting another not so comfortable bruise. Still he worried about her reaction.

Wasn't it painful for her to be slamming her head into the table? Perhaps not, after all she had that seal on her forehead proving her strength and healing skills. He sincerely doubted she would be so weak as to be pained by what she had just done but then again Sakura was an odd girl. She always had been odd, even when they had been genin she had been odd with her pink hair and perky attitude. Sasuke watched her carefully as she rested her chin on the table then.

"And I suppose you have no idea why you're my guard," she grumbled.

"I volunteered," he replied. She frowned then sat up.

"I doubt that, don't lie to me," she snapped as she picked up their breakfast plates. He wasn't lying, he had immediately volunteered when Kakashi said he would be sending Rock Lee with Sakura. He wouldn't tolerate that idiot guarding her. It just was not happening. He barely liked the thought of Sakura being with her weirdos, Naruto and Sai but if Kakashi was willing to put Lee in charge of guarding her then Sasuke would be kidnapping her and dragging her along with him for her own safety.

For some reason though he couldn't shake the feeling this was all a set up on him. It felt like somethin Naruto, Kakashi or even Itachi would've planned, and he didn't like it. He also didn't like the thought of Sakura being with another man, any other male really, so he would be going with her to guard her.

* * *

 **If you wanna know the update plan then you can looking Rain for Tears, chapter 20 or Healing Pain, chapter 29. But for not I'm off to work!  
**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	8. Truce

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Truce**

Sakura and Sasuke had a silent truce going on between them as they walked towards Suna in silence. He wouldn't bug her by ignoring her and she would not be annoying by talking to him. Yes, this silent truce was for the best if she was to survive another round of heartbreak. Why did love have to hurt so much?

Oh right, she was in love with an Uchiha and none of them seemed to make life simple.

Why couldn't she have just said yes to Lee when she had been little? True he was goofy in appearances, and annoyingly happy, and obsessed with Guy-sensei but he was at least a nice guy. But then the memory of Sasuke waking in the middle of the second examine demanding to know who had beaten her would spring to mind. Also there was that absolute fury in his attack on the Sound-nin. Never in her life had he looked so mad, true he had looked hateful, sad, lonely, furious and indifferent but she had never quiet seen that look in his black eyes before. The look of absolute rage. It was also the only time she was certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he at least cared about her.

But that had been years ago and never again had she ever seen him care. And now she was traveling with him to Suna, she wanted to go scream and would've if she wasn't determined to remain composed around the Uchiha. How was it he was so irritatingly good at remaining composed while her inner was screaming at her to tell him she loved him, to demand that he tell her if he even cared or hated her so she could move past this hope. How was it something so slight was so vital to her? It wasn't even a large possibility that he liked or even cared about her but it was somehow the only thing in her way. It was the anchor holding her in place and it was so fucking small it was a joke in her mind.

She sighed as she stared at the passing landscape of the desert.

"Are you tired?" she jumped at the sound of his voice then blinked up at his shadowy profile. Why was he asking her that!? "It's the tenth time you sighed in the past hour."

"Are you keeping track!?" she demanded, slightly embarrassed under his gaze, she didn't think she had been sighing that much. She wasn't the whiny genin she had been all those years ago. She was a powerful kunoichi and she was not weak!

"Yes," he said as if this were normal. She just grumbled a bit as she continued onwards towards Suna so she didn't punch the jerk for paying attention to odd things like sighing. He silently walked beside her as they continued onwards. Honestly it was the odd things he seemed to pay attention to which made her fall even more in love with him and it was not helping at this moment.

* * *

Sasuke just groaned internally as he walked with her. She seemed…different, but only with him. With everyone else she was the girl he had come to care about and even miss, but with him it was as if he were dealing with another person. A person determined to ignore him. It wasn't something he liked, not at all but at the same time something in him felt that this was the best he deserved from her at the moment until he earned her forgiveness for whatever it had been he'd done to wrong her. But knowing Sakura he was going to have to work for that forgiveness for a change since she was being unusually stubborn.

Then again she had always been stubborn and determined and tougher than she thought. He remembered the chunin exams when she had guarded him and Naruto, she had taken a hell of a beating and even sliced off her own hair to defend them. She could be tougher than nails and more loyal than anyone when she loved someone. And once he had been one of the ones she loved, now…now he wasn't too sure because she usually ignored him or glared at him.

He didn't like that, but he did deserve it. After all he had tried to kill her, several times, in the past. Still looking at her he could see she loved him in a way, and it was also clear to him she was miserable as she walked beside him in silence.

"Sasuke?"

"Hn?" he replied.

"Never mind," she said, he grabbed her then in irritation. She blinked as she looked at her arm where he was holding her, then she looked up at him. He pulled her closer then.

"What?" he verbalized, she just shook her head.

"It's stupid, never mind," she pulled away and he felt like pounding his head against a rock. He was supposed to be the socially difficult one! Not her! Finally he grabbed her again and steeled his resolve to open up to her.

"Nothing you have to ask is stupid Sakura, and stop that!"

"What?"

"That! The ignoring me, I may not talk but I'll listen," he snapped at her then. He hated having to say that but it was true. Talking wasn't something he did, conversations in general…they were terrifying to him. It was another reason he and the dobe were friends, the dobe could talk all day and Sasuke didn't have to talk at all unless to throw insults. Being verbal just wasn't something he did, and he hadn't done, since Itachi had killed his family. Mostly because when he had lost his family there had been no one to talk to and then when he was finally surrounded by people again he just didn't know how to be around people in general. Sakura and Naruto…they saved him in a way because they understood him without his words. And he missed listening to her talk to him.

"Do you mean that?" she asked softly looking at the ground.

"Hn," he nodded his head when she finally looked up at him. She gave him a weak smile and then he was drowning in talking as she told him everything that had been happening while he'd be away. Still he couldn't help but feel she was avoiding what she really wanted to talk about as he listened. Why wouldn't she just _talk_ to him?

* * *

 **Hey! Long time no update sorry about that! I've been busy and lazy, and procrastinating and...I think you get the picture now. Anyways these last few days I've been writing a lot and I remembered I haven't updated this so, Here's the update! =)**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	9. War

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **War**

When it came down to it she was declaring war with the bitch! They had barely arrived in Suna and some bitch had already draped herself around Sasuke; angry did not even cover how Sakura felt. And if she unleashed Inner Sakura the bitch would be punched half way to the moon! Ai, was her name and she was going to have her lights knocked out if she wasn't careful. Sakura did not like that woman at all, especially since the woman was a blonde lush kind who could get a man with a mere bat of her eye. To make matters worse Sasuke was completely oblivious to the woman.

He didn't seem to care about Ai draping herself on him and he didn't seem to care that it was irritating her. Sakura just wanted to get to her quarters, scream into a pillow then find some poor sucker to spar with and pummel said poor sucker into a bloody pulp then meet up with Gaara for their dinner meeting. Yep, that was the game plan but she swore to Kami if she had to endure this woman much longer, and if Sasuke didn't do something about her then there was going to be a war because she wouldn't be diplomatic. Nope, she was barely containing her rage at the Uchiha and the girl.

When they arrived at their quarters Sakura was quick to escape and slam her door in the face of the Uchiha before walking to her bathroom and shower to clean up. After her shower she wrapped herself up into a clean towel then walked to the bed to fall face first onto it then screamed at the top of her lungs into the pillow. It was childish; she knew this but she didn't care. It really did make one feel better, why was beyond her but screaming into a pillow like no tomorrow was the cure for so many things wrong with her life.

"Interesting view," his voice commented, she slammed her legs together and didn't bother getting her head out of her pillow at that moment. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen everything already. In fact she had given him once hell of a show a few days ago when she hadn't even known he was in her apartment. Sakura propped herself up on her elbows, crossed her ankles in the air then smiled cheekily at him as she glanced over at him.

"Nothing new," she replied icily. He shrugged then walked over to the bed. She'd have been offended with his attitude but it was difficult to be offended with his attitude when she loved him still. But she wasn't going to say she loved him anymore, there would be no words from her lips of love or care because he didn't care.

"When are we meeting Gaara?" he asked.

"I'm meeting Gaara for dinner, you are running security and going to do whatever that entails," she said firmly. Sasuke would not be coming to this dinner, she had had enough of his company for a while.

* * *

Sasuke just sighed internally at his companion's surly attitude but figured to leave her alone as he walked out of the room into his adjoining room where he was setting up on the floor. It still felt odd to sleep in beds after all those years as a teen when he would sleep on a bed as hard as a rock or the ground. Finally settled with his space; leaving a few tells for himself he let himself out of the room to the streets of Suna. He was quick to disappear though before that girl Ai could reappear and latch onto him like he was some sort of accessory for her to show off.

He had never been the touchy-feely type of guy and truly despised human contact when it was forced onto him; he had thrown Ino off of him when she had hugged him when they had been genin. And the girl Ai irritated Sakura which was all the more reason for him to avoid her. It was as plain as day to him that Sakura hadn't liked the girl, she had glared at him and Ai the entire walk through Suna and then slammed the door in his face. True Sasuke didn't have much experience with women; and Karin did not count; but he had a bad feeling about when a woman slammed the door in a guy's face. Even a social retard like him knew it meant that said woman was pissed and for a reason; which was not necessarily known to a guy. In this case though he had a feeling that most of Sakura's anger was because of the girl Ai. And now he didn't know how to handle Sakura; he'd have preferred it if she would just punch him, scream or shout at him instead of bottling up like she was now.

Though he had to admit that walking in on her like that had been interesting, and kind of worth her obvious frustrations.

He perched himself on the roof of one of Suna's buildings and looked out for the threats that he had been told would be involved with this mission because it seemed important to keep the Kazekage alive. Though in his mind keeping Sakura alive and safe took precedence over keeping Gaara alive. The sand creep could keep himself alive, Sakura was the one that Sasuke was worried about.

If there was a poison master here looking for recognition or credit for what he was doing or trying to challenge himself then he could very well fixate on Sakura, and if that happened…

It would not be pretty. Sakura would be stubborn and in danger, and the poison master would no doubt target her to prove he was better. When it came down to it people were really simple in Sasuke's mind and the darker the person was the easier Sasuke understood them which was why he understood the true threat wouldn't be to Gaara. It would be to Sakura, Sakura would be the poison master's opponent and she would be in danger. That was a thought which didn't sit well with him.

* * *

 **One last update tonight! Then I'm off to read a book and go to bed.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	10. Wilds

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Wilds**

Sakura wore a clingy, red, silk dinner gown with a slit up the side which revealed her pale legs with every step she took. Her hair was pulled up elegantly so as to display the seal she was so proud of and her minimal makeup was more of a highlighter rather than a concealer. She stepped out of the room as she turned to walk down the hallway then she saw him.

Sasuke was waiting for her, he was dressed in black as always, and his eyes were hooded. She didn't smile as she walked towards him, she was tempted to run from him because there was something feral and untamable in those black eyes. It was a look she only associated with him and wild predators, she didn't know how to feel about the way he was watching her. She didn't know if she were his prey or his friend when he looked at her like this. It was unsettling but she ignored it, as she stood there beside him waiting for his reaction.

He poked the seal and then they were descending the stairs to the lobby. She just tried not to focus on his poke of affection as she strode down the stairs to her friend and current employer. She smiled at the man who's pale blue eyes looked blankly at her. Gaara never smiled so she didn't expect him to smile but she saw a faint upturning of his lips as she approached him.

"Hello," she greeted him, he nodded and then they were walking off towards where they'd have dinner. The moment they stepped out of the hotel she was staying at Sasuke disappeared, her heart ached but she'd ignore that as she walked with Gaara. There wasn't much conversation but she didn't think it was necessary for them. Sakura had figured out a few years ago that never ending talking didn't put people like Sasuke and Gaara at ease; it agitated them so it was so for the best if she remained silent until she had something of value to say. And until she was at the restaurant she wasn't going to be speaking because there was nothing for her to say.

"Sakura," she looked over to Gaara. "Why is Uchiha here?"

"He's my escort, Kakashi felt that if I came I would need an escort for protection," Sakura explained. She didn't mention that she argued that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself and that the Uchiha was merely being an annoyance at this point. But one never argued the Hokage's orders and Kakashi had apparently felt that it was vital that she have an escort so she had the Uchiha with her. Not that she was thrilled about it.

"You'll be well guarded here, but the Uchiha will help," Gaara agreed as he seated her. She smiled at his gesture of kindness and then he was seated beside her.

"I'm certain this poison master can't be that bad," she mused. Gaara gave her an icy stare then.

* * *

Sasuke perched himself on the top of the Kazekage's office because it was the highest point in Suna as his Sharingan scanned the city around him. Mainly he focused on the restaurant that Sakura was in because he didn't want to lose her to this poison master and if the Kazekage died with him in Suna then his tarnished reputation would forever be destroyed beyond redemption. Also if he lost Sakura he'd never forgive himself, it just wouldn't be possible for him to forgive himself if she died because he couldn't help her or protect her. Even if she were pissed with him.

But in the end it didn't matter to him if she was mad at him or if she was pleased with him. So long as she was alive, that was all that he cared about and so this was why he found himself here, tolerating a very angry Sakura and also an unbelievably stubborn Sakura. She was everything that mattered to him and he would admit that to himself so here he was. And much to his aggravation he was here watching out for Sakura who seemed to be hating him at this moment but he didn't care about being hated. He was hated by most of the world because he had been pardoned for all his crimes which had been both extensive and horrendous.

So being hated was nothing new to him.

But just because he was hated didn't mean he was willing to have Sakura die or be in harm's way. As irrational as that was he didn't care or mind, so long as she was safe it was fine in his mind for her to hate him. It hurt that she hated him but he could over look that after everything he had ever done to her.

Sasuke pulled out a hidden photo from his cloak. It was an old, tattered, photo from the time before he left her on that bench that night. It was one of the only things he had had of her which he had guarded from Orochimaru, Itachi, Obito, and Madara. He glanced at her smile of bliss then he slipped it back into his cloak before he leapt off the Kazekage office towards the restaurant. Something was bothering him as he slid through the shadows.

Something was off, and he was certain of it as he slipped into the restaurant and felt the chakra of someone powerful here who wasn't Gaara or Sakura. All the other chakra signatures were known to him as he walked through the restaurant. His gaze flicked to Sakura who nodded as she stood with Gaara.

"I've had a lovely time but we're leaving," she said softly. Gaara said nothing as he offered sakyra his arm and then they were gone. He didn't pull his weapon or anything as he slipped thorugh the restaurant. But the chakra was gone, and as he looked around he felt none of that chakra.

* * *

 **Two more updates tonight folks! Rain for Tears and another chapter of Never Be the Same!  
**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	11. Desperations

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Desperations**

Sakura had left Gaara in his office then she had come to the hotel with the Uchiha who was now walking with her through her room. He looked on edge about something, Sakura just felt sleepy as she walked into the bathroom to clean herself. She was wrapped in a towel after a brief shower because water was a precious resource here and not to be wasted though she desired a longer shower than what she had received. However walking out of the shower while wrapped in a towel and toweling her hair she could only blink at the sight on her bed.

He was sprawled on her bed sound asleep with his blade in hand. Sakura sighed but walked past him to pull on a night shirt. She decided it wasn't a big deal if she slept beside him. It wasn't like she or Sasuke were the clingy type when sleeping so she doubted anything weird would happen from her sleeping beside him on her bed. She was just too tired to try to move a man his size at the moment as she let her towel drop and her shirt fall over her naked body. It was just for comfort as she crawled beneath the light sheets of her bed then let herself drift off to sleep.

* * *

Sasuke roused enough when he felt her open the bathroom door then he had trapped her in a subtle genjutsu. It was a simple illusion which made her think he was sleeping as she changed. Yes it was perverted but the blonde dobe had rubbed off on him in subtle ways; and this was a secret he would take to his grave and never tell anyone as he watched her drop the white towel. His eyes freely roamed over her pale skin then she pulled on an oversized shirt. He loved how that shirt left her legs to his view, it was as if she had an endless supply of those gorgeous legs. Yes, he was a leg man and he would admit that to himself.

He had been shocked though when she had crawled into the bed beside him, looked at him then rolled onto her stomach. It was a few moments after she was sound asleep though when her face turned to him and he could see the strain this was all having on her. Sasuke reached out to trace her cheek then he let sleep consume him and prayed the nightmares would be stay away.

* * *

He was frustrated as he stared down through the window of the hotel at the two sleeping Leaf-nin. The Uchiha coming actually presented a challenge. He had just been about to make his move on both the medic-nin and the Kazekage when the Uchiha had appeared from nowhere. There went his plans as those three walked out of the resturuant and into the night back to their secured little holes. It was frustrating.

Though he had to admit there would be an added pleasure in this job if he managed to kill the famed pinkette medic-nin because then his reputation as a master of poisons would be boosted. He rather liked that so he had begun to rethink his plan and his mission and smiled behind his mask. This could be a most opprotuned task for him because if he accomplished it then he would hurt the Uchiha, kill the Kazekage (as was his mission), and gain a reputation from killing Haruno Sakura. He liked this more and more, this was going to be a wonderful mission with fantastic results. He was most eager for this fight.

* * *

She sighed as she snuggled closer to the firm warmth that was calling to her and demanding her to press closer for comfort. That scent was also intoxicating her as she dreamt of him, not that it mattered, this was just a dream and the moment she woke he would be gone. He was always gone so she didn't think he'd be here it would never be different. Sasuke just didn't stick around and she was tired of these dreams, however this felt so real and good that it was enticing her as she snuggled closer to hide from the piercing sun.

Reluctantly Sakura opened an eye to see if it was truly another atrocious morning, she was not a morning person. She stiffened though when she found herself pressed securely into a black clothed chest. Slowly she looked up to see him sleeping soundly with his arm slung around her waist and his sword pressed against her back and his thigh pressed between her legs, which were tangled with his. Well, this redefined awkward, if she moved her hips his thigh pressed intimately and wonderfully against her and she didn't know what to do. She was so fucking comfortable but at the same time it was time to get up.

Also she _really_ , _**really**_ , _**really**_ had to go pee!

What to do!?

* * *

Sasuke had felt her wake up but didn't move. He liked having her right where she was and he didn't feel like moving. Also it was a rare occasion where he felt comfortable and relaxed and alert enough to want to stay right where he was. Sakura though began wiggling, he felt desires stirring so he opened his onyx eyes before she notice what he desired. Jade and onyx stared at one another for a moment before he slowly lifted his only arm off of her and she dashed off of him to the bathroom.

Groaning a bit he sat up and stretched his stiff body before he swung his legs over the side of the bed, he heard the flushing of the toilet then the sink running before she reappeared in the bathroom enterence.

"What are we doing Sasuke?" she asked him and looked so utterly lost. Honestly he didn't know what she was asking as he stared at the pinkette in her oversize white shirt and her silhouette shadowing in the shirt.

"We're here on a mission, then we'll figure out the rest," he promised as he stood to walk past her for a cold shower. It was a fair assessment if you asked him.

* * *

 **Sorry about the lack of updates but I got a tad bit sidetracked and then I forgot about this story and then I remembered I have yet to finish this one so I wrote a chapter for it. I'm going to try to update this story more weekly with Rain for Tears and Until the Day I Die so please be patient with me!  
**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	12. Reluctance

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Reluctance**

His words echoed in her head most of the day as she worked in the labs of Suna looking for cures against this poison master's poison samples from his failed attacks. Sakura didn't know how to feel about what he had said, she just didn't know what it meant. She had already decided to give him up and move on and yet here she was wondering if he meant what he had said. It would be nice if he meant what he had said but she feared that if she hoped about what he said that another irreplaceable part of her would shatter into a million pieces and her already broken heart would finally just stop working.

Why did she love Sasuke?

Well that was the question of the millennium, because she still loved him. She had always loved him, even when they had been children. She remembered him when he was happy, when he would be with his brother and smiling as he played. Sakura remembered the brooding boy left in place of the once happy child and remembered loving him because she knew he needed love. There wasn't much she could do for him, after all she was merely Sakura and nothing special. But she loved him, he hadn't wanted her love though and gone about shoving her away and breaking her heart.

Closing her eyes she remembered the night he left her, he had thanked her and then he was gone and the world around her was also gone. Part of her argued that he at least cared, after all he had put her on the bench rather than left her on the ground, but another part of her was certain that Naruto or Kakashi had moved her before hunting after him. She sighed then opened her eyes to continue her work.

Reluctantly she had loved him when he was with Orochimaru. True she had tried to force herself to fall in love with Naruto; he was nicer and cared about her but for whatever reason she couldn't fall in love with her blonde friend. She loved Naruto, loved him with all of her broken heart, couldn't think of a live without him there irritating her or comforting her but she was not _in_ love with Naruto. She loved him like a brother, always had and their bond had only deepened once he got past that stupid crush of his.

But her crush, for whatever unknown reason, was no crush. Sakura had fallen for the Uchiha and she had fallen for him hard. And it had nothing to do about his looks, or money, or even his prowess, or his Sharingan, or any of the million reasons people told her she was in love with him for. She was in love with him because of reasons she didn't know and she just knew that despite his need for love and affection that he'd never receive it because he never wanted it. That hurt but she could live with it, what destroyed her was his hatred of her and the way he ignored her. And now he was here again and his words were echoing through her head.

Why couldn't she just give up on him and fall in love with someone like Gaara or Lee or anyone else!? Sakura sighed as she worked quietly creating antidotes to the known poisons she had.

* * *

Sasuke sat there silently watching over the desert. He was careful to keep out of everyone's path and sight, he was still hated in many parts of the world and Suna was one of them. And he wasn't fool enough to think that he'd be welcomed here. So here he was, perched atop the Kazekage's office watching over the village which wasn't even his. It was fair, he supposed, after all the damage he had inflicted upon the world that he watch over the cities and nations he had once attempted to destroy. At least in this small way he could repent for his crimes.

"Uchiha," he looked down at the redhead of Gaara. The man was still someone who Sasuke had great admiration for but that would never be said or pointed out because he never revealed anything.

"Kazekage," Sasuke answered then resumed his watch.

"Why are you here? Haruno is more than capable of being here on her own and handling this matter on her own." He frowned at the obviousness in Gaara's statement so he looked down to reassess the man. He was just as indifferent as Sasuke was but indifferent people were good at reading one another and those around them. And what Sasuke was seeing was something he didn't like and had him tightening his hold on his blade in anger. But it had been near eight years since he had left and he didn't spend much time around Sakura so what else could he have expected; especially when she was so annoyingly easy to like. Others would fall for her, it was inevitable, and he didn't like the fact that it was Gaara who was one to have fallen for her.

"The Hokage wanted her to have an escort, I was traveling this way anyway," he lied. But it was something he wasn't going to reveal to anyone. No one would ever need to know he had volunteered to come with Sakura.

"Hm, so you have not told her yet. You should Uchiha, you should tell her right now because we all know she loves you." Gaara said and Sasuke glared at the man.

"Tch," his tongue clicked in annoyance as he continued his watch. Gaara said nothing as he walked back into the office and Sasuke sighed. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her, but he didn't know how to tell her. Expressing...emotions, it wasn't easy and honestly he'd rather be tortured. At least with torture he knew how to handle the pain and what to do, but with revealing what he was thinking or how he was he didn't have a clue what he was to do. And there enlay the problem he had been suffering from since the massacre of his family.

* * *

 **Wow, I am so sorry I haven't kept up with this. I'm not making excuses here but just so everyone know September, not my month; never has been and so everything usually gets messed up for me then. Sorry about that, I'll be more diligent about the updates for this story and I apologize for the wait you had to endure. Again sorry about this.**

 **Now, there's lots of updates today! So take a pick at what you want to read!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	13. Reasoning

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Reasoning**

Sakura was certain that the poison master was not from Suna, most of these poisons were from the Land of Lightning. Which was strange but also mesmerizing. It also limited who would be her opponent. Not many were this skilled in the arts of poisons but she had an idea of who this poison master could be which made her frown. It wasn't a pleasing thought having narrowed down the origins and who of this problem because the fact remained: she still had to catch this poison master. And that would be no easy feat. Even with the Uchiha here seeing all these chakras.

And it was this discovery which had her frowning as she walked out of the lab pondering just who the poison master could be and why they'd be attacking. There really was no reason to attack after the war, the war had ushered in a grand demand for peace and being a ninja now was actually hard work and slim pickings. But most ninja were like herself and had skills which they could use in civilian life and make relatively ordinary lives until the demand for ninjas came back. Peace never lasted, not matter who was in power, no matter how stable a civilization, for people were people and people were blood thirsty creatures at heart.

Sasuke was proof of that!

Sakura shook her head of the thought as she made her way back to where she was staying. Sasuke materialized beside her but she ignored him as she pondered the new problems of this poison master. It wasn't often that she came across an opponent of equal skill as she in the art of poisons and it was disconcerting thought for her. Sakura didn't like this because there was a very real threat that one of these poisons up the poison master's sleeve would actually thwart her and she'd lose someone.

After the war Sakura didn't want to lose anyone else. She had already lost more than people knew but she couldn't stand the thought of losing anyone else. Even Sasuke was someone she couldn't stand to lose and she didn't even really like him all that much at this moment! Still, anyone could be this poison master's target and she didn't like that thought because that made everyone a target in her mind.

Also, being in Suna there was no way to mass produce antidotes and she didn't want to choose who would live and who would die. That was not a power she liked; even as a doctor she hated it. To put a value on a life was difficult because each life was worth something to someone, it didn't matter who they were or what they had done, life had value and she didn't like choosing who lived and died. But she had a feeling that that was exactly what this poison master would force her to do. Sakura did not like this poison master and when she caught up to them she was punching them to her village and beat the hell out of them the entire trip. That was a promise she made to herself as she cracked her knuckles.

* * *

Her temper seemed to be rearing it's head and it had him stepping out of her reach just in case he was yet again the target of her anger. It was something he didn't want to feel, ever, he had seen what she could do to mountains and the thought of him being her target had him wisely stepping away from her. Sasuke followed her into their hotel, his eyes scanning around them for a threat as they made it up to her room. He walked in after her without thinking about it too much, she glared at him but ignored him as she stomped off to the shower.

Quietly Sasuke inspected the room for signs of tampering but he found none. Not even the best of ninja could leave no trace when he left a million tells around a room and he could see chakra and all it's trace so it'd be difficult to elude him. Sasuke didn't like this though, he felt exposed, like someone had been here already. He immediately looked her food over and the drinks in the minibar, not satisfied he pitched them and then he walked to the bathroom Sakura walked out in her towel and looked dumbly at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked him sharply, internally he winced at her tone but externally he revealed nothing.

"Inspecting the room," Sasuke answered icily. Now he was looking her over and had to admit, he didn't know how he had missed this when they were genin. She was so beautiful it was distracting and not fair. Sakura's emerald eyes narrowed as he inspected her.

"I'd expect Naruto, or Sai, or Kakashi to be the perverts so why the hell are you looking me over Uchiha!" she snapped and he smirked as he walked past her into her bathroom to inspect it. Leave her to wonder, besides if he said anything he'd be liable to have a one way trip to Leaf and that was not a thrilling thought. Especially since he'd probably break several mountains in the process.

"Men," he heard Sakura grumble and he could all but see her roll her eyes. They were getting along better, she didn't seem as likely to send him flying or into the dirt; also she didn't flirt with him or fawn over him anymore. It made it easier to be around her now, also she seemed to have grown up. It was an amazing sight and he was only a little disappointed that he had missed her growing up. She had bloomed beautifully. Which made it more important to him that he didn't lose her, he couldn't lose this strong woman, he could live with her hating him and having mixed feelings about him but he couldn't survive if she died. She meant more to him than he expected, which made her all that more important to him.

* * *

 **Sorry for the lack of updates again. Anyways, Mass Update Today so take a pick on what you want to read!  
**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	14. Proof

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Proof**

Sakura was working quietly in the lab as she looked over the poison master's latest victim. Though Sasuke had taken her from the restaurant, it hadn't stopped the poison master from attacking a different healer. Who was the one who Sakura was currently working on saving at this moment because she refused to fail in this little battle! The poison master was no master and she intended to prove this by thwarting him if for no other reason. Grumbling this again she again began studying the blood sample she had taken.

It appeared to be a blood poison, she noted as she watched the blood carefully. She wasn't surprised to see it aggressively eating the blood and sighed as she rubbed her eyes.

This was getting frustrating. Sakura didn't know how to feel about this as she leaned back on the counter. She just needed a moment to get all of her turbulent emotions in control again because she didn't want to lose them at this moment. All she needed to do was figure how the victims were getting poisoned. And that was the part which she was stumped on. Inhaling a sharp breath she held it for a moment before releasing a shaky breath and standing up to walk to the attending nurses.

"I need you to give the victim this antidote in this exact amount. Call me in three hours if there's no improvement," Sakura stated handing the supplies to the nurse before walking away from them. She wanted to clear head for a minute without interruptions or poisonings. All she needed was a moment, and she hadn't had all those many moments lately. It used to be easier to be alone, before Sasuke had returned, because everyone had been dating back home and she had been single.

Being alone was something she had been getting used to and getting good at. Now she had Sasuke for company and he wasn't the permanent kind of company so she shouldn't get used to having him around. And thus her need for moments alone, Sakura just sighed as she walked down the stairs and walked to the street. Looking around she just decided she'd start walking anywhere. It didn't really matter where she had to go, it wasn't like any beside Sasuke would notice her missing. After all she wasn't attached to anyone here.

Sighing she walked into an alley then leaned against the all as she bit her lip and looked up to the never ending blue skies of the Suna desert. She just wanted to go home, she wanted to be alone again, she wanted to so desperately stop hurting and to be at peace with her solitude again. Also, she hated herself for savoring those moments when she was close to Sasuke again. It was something she had craved since he had left but now that he was actually giving her attention (after she had decided to give up on him) she was hurting.

And no one seemed to notice or care.

Her breath hitched as she felt the tears burn her eyes again.

* * *

Sasuke looked down the ledge of the building of the alley where Sakura had walked in and he noticed her tears. Part of him wanted to leap down there and hold her but another, wiser, part of him realized there was nothing he could do for her and if she knew he knew she was crying then hemore than likely find himself being punched back home and Sakura intending to kill him after breaking every bone in his body.

Unlike the dobe he wasn't fool enough to mess with Sakura when she was like this.

He had long since learned his lesson in that regard, and he didn't care if that sounded foolish. Besides that he kind of liked his body in one piece, and functioning. Standing up he left her be, activating his Sharingan he kept an eye on her and was pleased at the lack of chakras around her. So long as Sakura was safe he didn't care about the rest of the mission. Once he had her safely returned and tucked away back home he would leave her again to continue his travels or he'd stay until he was certain Sakura was back to being Sakura. he didn't think it would be a good idea to pursue her when she was obviously hurting.

Still, he wanted her, and not just because he liked her body. Though that was a bonus.

Sasuke could honestly say the only woman to ever interest him had always had pink hair, an honest set of emerald eyes, and a brain. And once she had out grown her fangirl stage he had to admit he even dared to like her. But he kept this to himself because to share it was only inviting trouble and he had had enough trouble in his life to pray to never encounter trouble again. He had had enough, still, he wanted Sakura.

However, he didn't think it was a good idea. Besides, he really did not one of the few people whom he dared to consider a friend hate him. Again. And yes, that was a concern for him because after finally shedding himself of the awful, all consuming hatred which he had felt a few years ago he would never again wish hatred upon anyone. It hurt, it consumed you and it destroyed you and he knew it all too well.

And because he didn't desire her hatred on his head he had decided to leave her well enough alone. But it didn't stop the yearning he felt. That wasn't something he felt he'd lose, however his friendships were fragile and he would not ruin them by acting on what he had wanted. It had nearly destroyed his life when he had acted on impulses as a child; and it had gotten him tangled up with revenge and Orochimaru. Now that he was older he had desperately wished he had never been impulsive to leap into that hatred and pain. But now the he was older he was going to be more careful about his wants, for he wouldn't lose Sakura.

He couldn't afford to lose her.

* * *

 **Merry Christmas! ㇳ7**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	15. Confrontations

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Confrontations**

He had been watching her office for an hour and there was no movement. Perhaps now was a good time to go about investigating what they actually knew about the poisons he used. And with the famed Haruno Sakura being in her emotional state (because he saw her sadness and had witnessed her crying), he sincerely doubted she'd notice it he stole what he needed and left her office.

Besides, with her emotions the way they seemed to be he had a feeling that she was going to be sound asleep; the fool. He so looked forward to when he would get to kill her, but just not yet. He wanted her to suffer, he was thinking of poisoning that body guard Uchiha of hers' since that man and she seemed to be lovers and what better way to hurt a rival woman than by taking her man away. It was brilliance if you asked him.

* * *

Sakura walked through her lab that night while she read over the latest reports from the labs and just pondered what she was reading for a minute and then decided she was going insane. These couldn't be right, she was going to run the labs herself and prove that this was not the case, because if it was then there was a traitor or the poison master in her ranks and she didn't like that thought. Mostly because she didn't have the patience for the sleuthing required to weed these traitors out of the flock. Sakura really just wanted to punch them to the Leaf and back, break every bone in the traitor's body and then stalk off when they couldn't breathe anymore.

Don't be surprised, just because she was healer and a masochist (and loving Sasuke proved she was a fucking masochist!), did not mean she did not have an evil sadistic streak on occasions when she needed it. It wasn't natural, but it was there all the same, and she kept it under wraps.

Mostly because the whole 'I'm pink and cute' thing was a good cover for deception before she knocked the living daylights out of whatever asshole she was fighting with.

Thinking this she walked into her dark office when someone came at her from behind. Sakura reacted purely on instinct as she slammed her elbow into her attacker then spun around her chakra flaring. She barely blacked the punch coming for her face as she then evaded again and then slammed her foot down on her attackers before kicking him (for he was too hard in body texture to be a woman) in the side causing him to grunt as he stumbled from her.

The moonlight lit her office dimly in it's silver and she glared at the man who stood before her holding a set of daggers.

"So you're the poison master," Sakura stated coldly. Going off of intellectual reasoning, she did not think he could be anyone else when she did not go about making all that many enemies. She saw the glint of the man's white smile as he came at her with his gleaming silver blades; which were tinted with a green poison. Her body fell back, her left hand pulled a kunai she carried and though she was right handed she had worked just as hard to master her left.

Reacting swiftly she pivoted around him while pulled her right kunai again and fell into a fighting stance as she charged him, he was fast too. But she was a medic, she was quicker, more agile and she saw in his movements that he was no medic. There was no way, he'd have died on any battle front with his poor agility, but he had the strength and the speed. Leaping back she soared through the air as she felt the knives he had hurled at her sail by her slim body. Landing atop her desk she looked around her office but she sensed nothing and did not see him. Her feral green eyes narrowed in the dark as she flicked on the light, he had gone through her desk.

* * *

Sasuke saw the shadow and felt that unfamiliar chakra again and he sprinted after the poison master. This man had to be the poison master, he knew it in his gut as he activated his Sharingan and raced silently after the man. The clean sound of metal sliding out of it's sheath was the only noise which Sasuke made as he leapt roof top to roof top after the intruder. The man spun around and Sasuke leapt out of the way just as the daggers were released, but it did not deter him in his course at all.

All it did was irritate him as he quickened his pace.

He was no longer here to detain the man, he was going to kill the bastard! Sasuke did not even think twice about this as he lunged for the man, the man leapt out of his path and laughed the entire time when they landed on a rooftop apart from each other. The man laughed, and then there was a wicked gleam in his eyes; Sasuke snarled slightly at the laugh.

"What, don't like being taunted Uchiha!?" the man sneered. "Oh wait, you don't like the girl you have to guard, which is why you do everything you possibly can to hurt her. Am I right? I'm right aren't I, perhaps then you would be pleased to hear I killed the famed Haruno Sakura in her office."

"She's alive," was all Sasuke snapped back after he felt a pit of panic but then felt Sakura's chakra flare with anger and he felt her coming towards them. And with this in mind he leapt forward fully intent on his prey to kill the shadowy bastard for having merely mentioned Sakura and then claiming to have killed her. He was lucky he hadn't lost his temper already.

The man stumbled back but Sasuke slashed out at him while glaring at the man. His Sharingan telling him what the man's moves were as they fought. He was going to kill this bastard for having attacked Sakura! No one was ever again going to hurt her if he had it his way. And he was going to have it his way!

* * *

 **Merry Christmas! ㇳ7  
**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	16. Hit and Run

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Hit and Run**

She felt the fight, and after seeing her desk trifled through she was beyond pissed as she raced out of her office. Several of the other attendings leapt out her path as she raced for the open window. Seeing Sasuke engaged in battle had her running out the window then and sailing over to the next flat roof; the nice thing about Suna was all the rooves were flat and she could run on them without expending much chakra as she raced to catch up to her target and Sasuke. Furious was a mild way of describing how her temper felt at this moment.

Leaping from rooftop to rooftop she made her way towards the fight. The assailent didn't sense or see her but she knew Sasuke did as he ducked from the fight just as she landed to throw a chakra infused punch. It hit the man in the gut sending him sailing over the rooftops, she snarled.

"He's mine Sasuke," she growled then she darted past the Uchiha as she tore after her target. All of her pent up pain and rage was pulsing in her veins as she leapt into the air, her fist drawn back.

"CHA!" she roared; her battle cry alerting her victim there'd be nowhere for him to run as gravity carried her down on him. Those eyes widened a fraction with terror but it didn't stop her as she slammed down onto him and sent him crashing through several of the buildings.

* * *

Sasuke watched Sakura in awe of her abilities and strength. Very few women would do what she just did and he knew she hadn't even released her full strength upon her victim. Still, the backlash of that punch was enough to have even him becoming wary as he chased after her.

The poison master went sailing past him then, and all he could think of was that time in battle when Sakura had raced ahead of them. He and Naruto ahd worried for her, until she seemed to do something which changed her for forever, she earned her Strength of a Hundred Seal; though in her case it was more like Strength of a Thousand; and sent her attacker sailing. Then she tore after him, Naruto had looked like he had shit his pants in fear of seeing his best friend unleashing her vicious temper upon all of the invaders. No one had seen that side of her and it was truly magnificent and it was terrifying as well.

Which was why he was slightly stunned when she had sent the poison master through the building as she chased him down. Her strength was impressive but they wanted the poison master alive. And at the rate Sakura was going the poison's master would be dead along with all of his knowledge. Sasuke was reluctant to intervene though because she seemed so mad. But it didn't stop him as he grabbed her from the unconscious body of the man who had assaulted her.

"Let me go Sasuke!" she shouted as he pulled her aside.

* * *

"That's enough Sakura, we need him," Sasuke snapped in her ear as he put her behind him and had himself between her and the poison master. It wasn't his smartest move in her mind, mostly because she wanted to pound him to smithereens and wipe her hands of the mess instead of the poison master. She knew she had lost it now but it didn't really matter to her as she stood there wanting nothing more than to hurt the man who hurt her like no one else ever had, ever could.

Sasuke was the root of all her pain and no one seemed to see this as he stood between her and the poison master. She so desperately wanted it to be Sasuke she had beat up and not that pain in the ass poison master.

But looking at the carnage she had wrought she knew the truth and it made her sick with herself as she turned from Sasuke and started walking away from him.

"Fine, but I'm not caring for him Sasuke, you'll need to do that on your own because I have real patients to care for!" she snapped and then she turned to run.

Where she was running she didn't know but she had to get away from him, away from the monster within her. So she did the only sensible thing in her mind and ran; dawn would be coming soon and she wanted to be alone for a moment. Her feet carried her silently out of Suna and into the cool desert.

* * *

Sasuke hefted up her victim from the rubble as he watched the pink run away from him and disappear into the city. He wondered just what he had done to upset her; he had seen the tears shining in her eyes before she ran. But again he shrugged it off as he took this poison master to the hospital for treatment.

Dropping off the man Sasuke decided he'd go find sakuea and try to calm her down. He had confidence that the Suna shinobi could keep an unconscious, beaten to a bloody pulp poison's master restrained until he returned with Sakura. Leaving didn't seem too bad at this time, and he didn't want Sakura doing something stupid while she was alone. She was just enough like the dobe to do something stupid, he also wanted to know why she had lost it back there.

Sakura never lost it.

He remembered that for even when they had been genin she had been his and Naruto's rock. She just didn't lose it; true she used to break down and scream and cry a lot but she never lost it. It was slightly concerning to him as he reached the edges of Suna and saw her tracks disappearing into the loose sand of the desert. His Sharingan couldn't see her either and for the first time in his memory he felt scared for her. There was clearly something upsetting her and it was messing with her, if he hadn't pursued the knowledge before, he sure as hell was going to do so now.

Just what the hell was wrong with Haruno Sakura!?

* * *

 **So, Long Time No Update... Hehe *laughs nervously* oh well. You'll be pleased to hear that this will again be receiving regular updates!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	17. Questioning Hatred

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Questioning Hatred**

Sakura felt like crying, she felt like screaming, she felt like dying, and not for the first time she wished desperately Sasuke had killed her that time he had plunged his hand in the center of her chest. There, she thought grimly as she stumbled to a stop with the tears streaming down her face, she had thought her worst wish as she fell to her knees and tried not to cry.

It was pointless, she knew this as the tears slipped down her cheeks and she rubbed her eyes. She was never going to be good enough for him to notice or love in return, she was never going to be enough for him. And the worst part of that was she knew it as she sat up and stared at the starry night of the desert. Everything was open and wide and never ending but it was so black at night here, she hadn't noticed it until now as she sat here heaving broken sobs. She was alone in the world by being here, and she wished for that solitary oblivion.

"Sakura," his voice called for her and she closed her eyes again as she heaved a sigh then wiped her cheeks clear of her tears as she stood again and turned to look at the shadow residing in the shadows. She hated her heart of skipping a beat at the silhouette of him against the endless midnight starry sky.

"What?" she asked coldly as she folded her arms and stood there trying to act strong. She had pulled it off for years, she had faked all of strength for years, she had faked it for Naruto and Sai and Kakashi and Tsunade so they wouldn't know. And if she could fake it for them then she was certain she could fake it for Sasuke, she could appear strong and independent rather than in love with him. And Kami did she love him, hatred and monster and all of who and what he was.

But he didn't care, he didn't need her love, and he'd never have to know how much it was killing her that he didn't need nor want her love.

"What is going on Sakura?" he asked her in a cold blunt voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about Sasuke," she replied coldly.

"Sakura," his tone was warning as she stood there glaring at his silhouette.

"No, you don't get to 'Sakura' me! No one does, and it's not as if you would care even if I told you! You hate me! You tried to kill me, many atimes! So my question is why are you even here, Sasuke?" she snapped as she walked up to him. If she was shocking him then he didn't let it show as walked up to him; not that she could've seen his shock in the desert's night.

"You hate me, you've made it abundantly clear that I'm lower than scum to you; so why are you here. I could've just come alone, Kami knows I don't need you, I think I've proven that much in these past years. So tell me Sasuke, why are you here?" she demanded.

* * *

Did she really think that? Did she really believe he hated her?

Well, how could she not, he reflected, after all he had never made an effort to let her know, to let her see the difference in how he viewed her. But he had never hated her, he had however hated what she offered him at one point, he hated that she had offered him peace, offered him love, offered him a home, offered him comfort, offered him strength, and had offered him everything he could have if he didn't hate. He had tried to kill her, but every time he had, he couldn't look at her, he always wanted to stab her in the back so as to not see those green eyes and everything she had to offer him, however she had proven stubborn and looked him in the eyes every time. he regretted it now, but then it had been the source of his nightmares.

So yes, at one point he had hated everything she had to offer.

But he had never hated her, not even Naruto could comprehend what that meant to him, but he knew, he knew he'd never hate her. Just what she could selflessly give him without a second thought, without comprehending how much it would mean to him.

"I never hated you," he said it indifferently though he felt the opposite about it. "I hated Naruto, I hated the village, I hated Itachi, I hated Kakashi, I hated everyone before, but I never hated you; Sakura."

Her name was still sweet on his tongue. Just as it always had been, it was like a forbidden fruit to him, something he loved and craved and despised all at once. But he had never hated her.

"Sure you didn't, a hand stabbing me in the chest just screams 'I don't hate you'," she replied sarcastically and he smirked. Mostly because she could not see him smirk, she had developed a bad attitude, and back bone since he had left the village and he had to admit he liked it.

"I am here, Sakura, because of your letters and the dobe," he informed her.

"Uh-huh, you know what, just for once be honest with me, just once would be nice. Until then, I'll be back in my room," she stated coldly as she walked past him. He smirked then as he watched her disappear into the night.

Aside from the Dobe and himself he had never met a more stubborn person than Sakura. and even then, he knew, he knew she was more stubborn than the dobe and himself combined. He would never forget how stubborn that woman was, and how strong she was; and how unlike Naruto, she would give up on him to protect her friends. And now she was under the ridiculous impression he hated her, he was going to have to go about changing her opinion about that.

Did Sakura never make anything easy?

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	18. Old Ghosts

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Old Ghosts**

Sakura had decided to hide out in the lab, she didn't particularly like being a coward but after last night's little tirade she sure as hell did not want to run into Sasuke or deal with him.

It was why she had gotten up at four in the morning and she was hiding here as she worked. Identifying the poisons was actually tricky, but concocting the antidotes was even more challenging so it wasn't as if she were actually avoiding the Uchiha with nothing to do. She had a legitimate job to do and evading the Uchiha was a nice bonus as she peered into the microscope to look over this bacterial poison. It was a first for her but she was working on trying to thwart it.

"Here," she looked up to see Gaara handing her a warm cup of tea, she smiled in response.

"Thank you," she replied as she took it and sipped it and continued to look at the poison trying to figure it out.

"Are you and Sasuke not getting along?" he finally asked her and she stiffened as she stared at nothing now.

"And why are you asking?" she asked slowly as she sat up and looked up into those teal eyes which were confused and curious. She reminded herself that Gaara wasn't used to normal people, he wasn't really social either.

"Because, there are reports of several holes in the buildings of Suna," Gaara asked and she relaxed then.

"No, I had a run in with the prisoner who I believe is in the hospital at the moment," Sakura supplied then as she hid her guilty expression in sipping her hot… tea, huh, it tasted good but in a bitter way. Gaara nodded then. "Well, he attacked me and I… um… I'm sorry, I might have over reacted," she admitted.

"If you were attacked and defended yourself then you did not over react," he stated.

"Thanks, now could you go tell the Uchiha that?" she pleaded innocently.

"I received reports of a man attacked, he had several broken ribs, a shattered jaw, his arm broken in two places, and a shattered tibia, also his hip is fractured, liver is ruptured, intestines are damaged severely, a collapsed lung, a ripped heart and several ruptured arteries; and he has a concussion. I will have the guards begin interrogating him immediately now that I know he's the poisoner," Gaara said as he left her alone in the lab. She just blinked at the drink in her hands then.

She had done that much damage!? She hadn't even hit him that hard! Well, maybe in her anger she hadn't been as controlled with her chakra as she thought. Sakura sighed as she leaned on her elbow and rubbed her temples, she was just so tired, and wanted to leave here without Sasuke now. She didn't mention as much though as she set aside the warm drink and resumed her studying of the poison. An antidote was needed, and she had to work.

* * *

"She is still mad at you," Gaara informed him as he walked out of the lab. Sasuke had been sitting just outside her lab on guard since she had snuck out of the hotel this morning at some godawful hour. He had seen Gaara coming down the hall this morning and demanded he check in on the pinkette since she had sent every lab tech who got near her scurrying away; she had sent one nurse running away in tears. Gaara was not thrilled to be the sacrificial lamb but since Sasuke had literally shoved the redhead into the lab with a hot drink Sakura would like and would restore energy; removing the choice from the Kazekage's hands.

"I know, but I asked you how she is, not if she's still mad," Sasuke said again.

"Tired, working, and furious," Gaara replied. Sasuke nodded then as he looked back at the door separating him from the pinkette.

"Aa," he nodded.

"What did you do?" Gaara asked him then. Sasuke's dual colored eyes narrowed on him.

"Hn," he shrugged; he honestly had no idea and Gaara shook his head as he walked off then. Sakura snarled when a lab tech walked in there before he could intervene and the poor man was scrambling out of the lab with a look of sheer terror then.

Sasuke sighed and took his post again as he watched out for the frazzled lab techs and nurses. Usually he redirected them to be away from her unless their information was involved with hers. Gaara stopped by later that day with lunch for both himself and Sakura, though Sasuke was quick to shove the Kazekage in the lab again. Sakura was snapping and snarling when Gaara stumbled out of there with his sand wrapped around him.

"That was the poison, not you," Gaara informed him.

"I haven't spoken to her all day," Sasuke pointed out as he ate and Gaara sat beside him.

"Apparently the ninja is a missing nin from Otogakure, an apprentice of one Kabuto," Gaara said and Sasuke stiffened as he looked to the lab and heard her screaming in her frustration.

"Aa," Sasuke replied numbly and stared at the food he had in his hand.

"Does this have to do with Ororchimaru?" Gaara asked.

"No, but Kabuto despised Sakura," Sasuke admitted. "If he is Kabuto's apprentice then he'll be after thwarting a great medical-nin and Sakura would be considered the best of our generation," Sasuke explained.

"Yes, I believe that to be true as well," Gaara admitted softly as he looked to the door of the lab.

"I'll stay," Sasuke assured Gaara.

"Alright, I'll send you two dinner," he said as he stood and walked away from them. Sasuke just stared down at the food in his hand and listened to Sakura swear as she worked. This wasn't about him, for a change he was not the target. However, if this Otogakure-nin really was Kabuto's apprentice then Sakura was probably in true danger.

He just didn't know how yet.

* * *

 **I'm back, and this will be finished by the end of May.**

 **In regards to chapter length; it's staying a thousand words per chapter, if you have a problem with that then too damn bad. I have other things I prefer writing and I don't expect you to get it.**

 **In regards to reviews, I do not care if you flame, bad mouth, bitch or criticize; but please no more whining about chapter length. I no longer have the patience to deal with whining, and if you have a problem with that, then too damn bad.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	19. Surrendering

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Surrendering**

Sakura worked well into the late of the night as she tried to decipher this poison and it's ever evolving DNA. Sighing she sat back as she rubbed her eyes. A hot drink was placed on the table and she looked up to who had given it, dual colored eyes, she sighed.

"I really don't have the energy to deal with you," she sighed.

"Hn," he grunted but he pulled up a stool beside her then and she rested her head on her arms as she stared at the table and let her eyes close then as she just took deep soothing breaths.

"Why are you here, Sasuke?" she asked.

"Why'd you stop writing me?" he demanded and she turned her head to peek at his profile. He didn't look at her though as he stared over her.

"I didn't stop writing you," she countered. She had slowed in writing, but how the hell were you supposed to write someone who never actually wrote you back. Sasuke had never cared and she knew it as she sat up again and rubbed her temples. "You never wrote me. And why the hell would you care? Don't you have another girl; Karin or something?"

Yes, she could remember the redhead who had traveled with him and followed him around like a loyal puppy. Sakura had once been that girl, but despite loving him to the point of physically paining herself, she was no longer that star struck child who would proclaim her love of Sasuke. Kami, did love ever suck! She glared at Sasuke with sleepy eyes then.

"No, and I wrote," he countered.

"Sasuke, you answered questions I asked you; Naruto got more detailed letters about what you were doing. You don't care about me, and that's fine; it'd just be really nice if you could just cut me out so I could save myself from this delusion that just maybe I'll be good enough for you one day and I could move on with my miserable life," she finally admitted and her head fell back to stare at the ceiling. "I'm just going to let go now, you don't have to deal with me anymore, just go home and get your next mission. I'm going to finish my work here in Suna and then I'm just going to figure out what to do next. And Sasuke, it'd be really nice if you could just tell me it's never going to happen so I can let go."

She looked back at him then and he said nothing as they sat there.

"And you clearly can't even be so kind as to help me out to let go," she sighed. "You know what I don't care, I'm going to bed, you do whatever you want."

Sakura stood on her unsteady legs and moved to move past him when a strong hand caught her arm.

"Let me go Sasuke," she ordered in a tired breath as she closed her eyes and despised herself for loving the simple touch he was giving her at the moment.

* * *

"No," he finally answered her after a moment of trying to process her plea.

"And why not? You don't even like me, Sasuke; just let me go!" she snapped as she spun around with her fist and hit his chest weakly. He didn't let her go, instead he pulled her into him as he wrapped her up and he heard her sob as she went slack in his arm and against his chest.

How the hell had he bungled this up so badly?

Sasuke didn't know, but he could tell that perhaps this time he had hurt her a little too deeply and he would need to actually try to speak to her about what was going on between them.

"I do not dislike you Sakura," he informed her softly. "I like you far more than the dobe, and I do not even tolerate Karin except when she is of use for a mission. I did not mean to hurt you, Sakura, I never know what to write to you about."

"Do not lie to me Uchiha!" she hissed between her sobs. "I do not deserve that!" she sobbed.

"I am not lying," he assured her.

"Yeah, right, and I'm going to wake up tomorrow and be the Hokage," she said weakly. He sighed as he knew now just how much damage he had done to her as he held her tightly to him and she cried into his shoulder.

"Sakura, I am sorry things have gotten to this," he murmured and she said nothing to him as she was slack in his arm and against his chest.

"Just admit you don't care and we'll be fine," she hissed and he sighed.

"I can't say what you want," he murmured and then he pressed his lips to the top of her head and tightened his hold on her. "Because it isn't true."

"Why isn't the truth true?" she demanded but he heard her voice waver as she clung to him and he held her close.

"Because Sakura, I care, I care very, very much I just do not know how to tell you," Sasuke finally admitted to her weakly. She didn't respond as she pressed herself closely and he slowly loosened his grip so she could look up to him then.

"Are you being honest?" she asked softly.

"Aa," he nodded and she finally pulled away from him as she looked at him with a wet face. How often did he make her cry? Unintentionally or intentionally?

"Prove it," she demanded in a cold voice. He didn't know what she was expecting from him but he decided to go off of instincts this time. He released her as he then moved to tilt her head back and looked at those earnest jade eyes. She didn't move away from him, and then he moved, his mouth was on hers' softly and she gasped in shock. Sasuke watched as her eyes fluttered shut and she leaned into him then.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	20. Proving Obsessions

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Proving Obsessions**

Sakura found herself leaning into him as her hands rested on his chest and her heart was racing as she let her eyes closed and she held onto him. His mouth moved over hers' and she moved back shyly as she hesitantly returned the kiss.

No doubt this would come back to bite her on the ass; she knew it. After all, loving Sasuke had continuously come to bite her on the ass, however, for a moment she was going to indulge herself and lean into him and revel in the feeling of his mouth on hers. Of his taste filling her mouth. Of him holding her tightly as they stood there in her lab.

He backed her up, she felt the back of her thighs hit the back of the desk then as she greedily returned the kiss. A hand lifted her up and she felt things scatter beneath her as she sat and he stepped between her legs. Sakura sighed when his calloused fingers traced her jaw as he deepened the kiss, her head tilted a bit into the touch and she indulged like any other glutton with a craving. Yup, this was totally coming back to bite her in the ass, but she didn't care as she held onto him.

He pulled away when they both needed air. Her chest was heaving, pressing firmly against his chest with each breath as his brow came to rest on hers and he stared at her with serious dual colored eyes. His Rinnegan was showing and his Sharingan was bright in the dark room giving her a sense of a predator looking down on his prey.

"Proof enough?" he asked her.

"No," she replied coldly. "Anyone can kiss, Sasuke. But, if you mean it, then prove it to me."

"And how would you like the proof?" he asked her softly, she felt his thumb traced her cheek. Despite her desire to seem unwavering and unbending to his presences she felt herself leaning into his hand and staring at him with serious eyes.

"Talk to me, let me in," she whispered. He kissed her lips lightly again.

"I will try," he assured her.

"Also, I am not hopping into your bed just because I happen to like being kissed by you," she snapped sharply. He had a slight smile on his lips and she frowned. She was serious!

"I'd expect nothing less from you," he murmured as he kissed her again.

"Also, if you want me; you're really going to have to prove it. Dates, Sasuke, I'm talking about dates and courting; properly. Prove to me I'm someone you want, because I'm tired; Sasuke, I'm tired of chasing you and being hurt because of it. I'm so tired, Sasuke," she sighed as she moved her head to rest on his shoulder.

"Alright," he agreed and she closed her eyes. She was so tired of everything, she just wanted a moment to rest, it wasn't like anyone was going to care that she was exhausted. However, she felt warm and safe for a minute so she was going to sleep now.

* * *

Sasuke had felt her go slack against him and he knew she was sound asleep before he had to figure out how he was going to get her back to the bed. Carefully he managed to get her back to the hotel, do not as him how because it was challenging enough to do it without being see. Once he had her there he gently lay the girl who had always loved him on the bed again and studied her closely.

Fine, he had to prove he wanted her. He could do that, he should've figured it wouldn't be easy once she had started feeling hurt. Perhaps he should've tried harder to write her those letters. The only reason he had never tried harder to tell her what was going on was actually quite simple: he had no fucking clue what to write her.

Pathetic, he knew, but writing the dobe was hard enough, and then there was Sakura.

However, if she wanted him to work to get her then so be it. He would endure dates, he would figure out how to let her in, he would figure this out. Uchihas were not quitters. He knew this; his entire family; regardless of what they had been fighting for, fought until they were done or dead. Sakura was no different to him in this aspect, he'd figure out how to get the girl to realize he liked her.

Now for the next step though; what the hell was a date!?

He was going to have to write Kakashi, and Sasuke dreaded the thought. True he knew what a date was, but what the hell did people do on dates? That's what he didn't know and there was simply no way in hell he was asking the dobe for an explaination. Kakashi would be easier to ask; in a way he and Kakashi had reconciled and come to some degree of understanding of one another. And Kakashi was really the closest thing to family he had left; however, he also knew Kakashi was protective of Sakura like she was his own kid so he knew he'd have to be very careful about how he handled this with Kakashi.

Sasuke moved a stray strand of pink hair from her brow and looked her over carefully. She was sleeping soundly, he guessed he was to blame for her passing out too; in some demented way. In some way, all of this, was undoubtedly his fault as he stood up then and left her asleep.

He had a threat against her to eliminate before it could fester up and destroy her.

He knew she'd never know this, and he hoped to high Kami no one ever discovered this, but Kabuto had had a sick obsession over the pinkette and her medical skills. Honestly it had creeped Sasuke out how eager Kabuto would always be to fight her.

No matter, he had Kabuto's apprentice to deal with now and he was keeping the creep away from Sakura at all costs.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	21. Showering in Doubts

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Showering in Doubts**

Sakura woke to find herself in her bed again and the Uchiha was sitting in the corner with his sword propped on his shoulder as he waited for trouble. He was asleep though, even she could see this as she gently touched her lips and stared at him.

Uchiha Sasuke had kissed her.

Uchiha Sasuke had kissed her!

Holy shit! She was out of her bed and into the bathroom quickly as she shut the door behind her and bit her lip as she rested her head on the door and tried to calm her racing heart down and tried not to panic or hyperventilate because he had kissed her yesterday. Sakura leaned against the door as her legs went jelly on her and she slid to the cool floor of the hotel she was staying in. Not only had Uchiha Sasuke kissed her but he was willing to prove to her that he cared and had agreed to her terms.

Sakura didn't know how to feel about that as she sat on the tiles and hugged her knees now.

When she had said all of that she had been mad, frustrated, and slightly jealous of all her friends who had it all and she could only ever stand from afar and watch it with a smile and her own envy. Now she was certain she had been dreaming or something because there was simply no way in the world that Uchiha Sasuke was ever going to actually take her on a date or even court her properly.

Why had she used that word of all words? Court? It made her sound like a prude! Well, just because she was a virgin did not make her a prude. Now, before one got the wrong idea and think she was saving herself for someone special that was not true, it was just well, she was busy. Honestly she was a virgin because she had been too busy with war, fighting, healing, surviving, and picking herself up off the ground to glue her heart back together to really worry about having hot wild sex with some random stranger. Though there had been times it had been tempting to do just that. But usually exhaustion had her passing out at home on her couch, or a night out with Ino had her swearing off men for good.

A night out with Ino was enough to make the human race want to hide from sex as well. Ino, while loveable and not a slut; just had no filter between her mouth and brain when she was excited with boys. And the way Ino could have men stumbling around with a single look or smile, or simply swaying her hips, well, no girl could ever compete with Ino when guy trolling was on the menu for the night. Ino would have every man all over her with nothing more than a wink.

And then there was her, Sakura thought bitterly as she striped down and got into the shower now. It wasn't like Sasuke was getting his dream girl; hell even that Uzumaki girl who had hung off him had been more built than her. Sakura sighed as she ducked her head under the spray of the shower then. He'd probably jest get bored with a girl like her and leave her after one date.

No matter, if she had demanded the date from him then by all that was sacred she was going to at least enjoy it and have one treasurable memory of him.

* * *

Sasuke opened his eyes when he heard the shower start and stood up then. He had interrogated Kabuto's apprentice last night and all he had learnt was nothing. Kabuto was in charge of some orphanage but Sasuke had learnt nothing of the apprentice's motives. The man had been mum on the subject and he had even evaded telling his name.

No matter.

Gaara had the man locked up in the best prison Suna had; which Sasuke would admit to being slightly impressed by as they had walked through it. Even if he had been incarcerated there he'd have a difficult time escaping that prison. It was mostly the surrounding terrain which made it a tricky prison; once you were out of the prison you were in the middle of nowhere dunes with no headings. The heat even at night was sweltering and there was no water near the prison in any direction. The prison received just enough water to sustain their prisoners but not enough to be horded for an escape. The internal security was impressive as well.

Not that it was likely to matter because Sasuke sincerely doubted that the apprentice would be getting out of the prison.

Now Sasuke had returned to Suna he only had to wait for Sakura to find the antidote to the poison and then they'd be on their way home. He was not looking forward to figuring out what the hell courting would require but since she was under the very wrong impression that he hated her he'd do whatever she wanted to prove otherwise.

Sasuke sighed, women were such confounding creatures and he was not entirely certain what he was supposed to be doing for her. Sakura hadn't made it entirely clear what kind of 'dates' she was wanting but he was going to be trying here. He was definitely having that talk with Kakashi.

Everything was just so damn complicated!

Well, he supposed there was no one but himself to blame in this matter because he had been the one get himself into this situation. And he would just work on proving to her she was wrong about how he felt about her. It was definitely going to be a lot more challenging than he thought it was going to be, but he had been working to prove to everyone he had changed. He'd just add it to the list. The shower turned off and he sat back in his corner as a wet pink head poked out of the bathroom and he feigned sleep wile she crept out.

* * *

 **Before the end of this week this will be completed.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears!**


	22. Summoning Focus

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Summoning Focus**

Sakura went straight to the lab. Her hair was pulled back as she examined the poison and worked off of what she knew to be true and focused on saving people rather than wallowing in her self-doubts of dating Sasuke. She was not a weak little genin with a stupid obsession over a boy who'd sooner stab her in the back than save her. Haruno Sakura was no longer that girl.

She was the Fifth Hokage's disciple, she was the only other woman to get the Strength of a Hundred Seal, and she was a war hero.

Haruno Sakura did not obsess over boys anymore nor did she dream about stupid girly things like dates.

This is what she was telling herself as she worked on her antidote for this poison. It was not easy today, she was actually annoyed with how today's quest for the antidote was going. The poison seemed to be deteriorating before her eyes and it was annoying. Mostly because it was like a bacterial infection.

It invaded, destroyed what it needed to destroy and then deteriorated before anything could be helped. Leaving the damage already done and the victim was already on death's door. Pulling away for a minute she pinched the bridge of her nose as she inhaled sharply and tried to think of a way to counter act the damage of the poison. Her only solution was her own seal but she didn't know if that would work. It would probably help give her time but at the cost of a huge amount of her chakra. Sakura sighed as her head fell back and she bit her thumb while thinking this over.

It wasn't much of a loss, and she was a medic here to save lives rather than let them go. She closed her eyes and pondered this for a moment, and then she straightened up as she walked out of the lab then. Ignoring Sasuke she walked outside into the devastating heat of the Suna desert, she felt the Uchiha follow her and she squared her shoulders as she bit her thumb for blood and slammed her hand to the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!" she shouted. The slug emerged then, and Sakura smiled at Katsuyu.

"Sakura, how can I help you?" the slug asked.

"Katsuyu, please report to the medical bay, I have patients in there," Sakura said calmly as the slug broke up and went right into the hospital. She followed as she walked past Sasuke and went to work with her insane idea of how to give herself some time and to save the patience while she figured out how to make the antidote. After the antidote was made she had no doubts that everyone was going to be fine. And she was close, just frustrated, but she was close to making the antidote.

"Sakura what are you doing?"

"Buying time," she answered coldly as she then sat and focused all her chakra through her as again she broke her seal.

* * *

Sasuke watched her as the seal broke and another pattern wrapped around her body as she focused. He remembered when she had used this in the war, when Madara had stabbed her in the gut and she was unaffected. What the seal did fully he wasn't certain but he watched again as Sakura focused on healing those around her.

Truthfully, he had never expected to see her do this again after the war was finished. But here she was, and again he watched around him as the victims of the poisoning began to stop their writhing and slowly relaxed. He guessed that this was a good sign, he wasn't entirely certain because he didn't know what this poison was doing exactly. However, since Sakura was not yelling at people to save the patients he guessed it was good as a few nurses hurried about him.

"How is she holding up?" he looked over to the Kazekage then and nodded a greeting.

"Well," Sasuke replied as he turned his attention on the medic who was focused on her work while she sat there. Sasuke couldn't look away from her, he wanted too but he couldn't. Strange as it was he had never bothered studying the pinkette. He was amazed to see she had grown up into a beauty, she had grown into her forehead and eyes, and with the seal on her brow she looked… complete. Her lips though rarely curved lately, were full, and her nose was pert which fit her face.

Sasuke could freely admit she had grown up. He had seen her body and knew she was a woman; a very attractive woman, but he hadn't bothered to study her face before now. She had grown up, he rather liked how she had turned out, she was just his type of woman too.

"Alright," Sakura's green eyes opened as she stood up. "They'll be fine for the time being, I'm going to finish up that antidote and then we'll proceed from there. For now, they should be out of the worst of it, but I'm leaving Katsuyu with them and I'll monitor them through her."

"Do you need anything?" Gaara asked her.

"No, for the time being just keep the nurses on hand for the patients and keep that poison master out of here." Sakura walked off in a brisk business walk which had him watching her closely.

"Has he said anything?" Sasuke asked once he knew Sakura was out of ear shot.

"No, but we have our interrogators working him over, we will know soon enough what he was after." Gaara watched where Sakura had disappeared and continued then. "When was the last time she slept?"

"Last night, she won't leave the lab tonight though," Sasuke said as he then walked after her because his mission was to guard her. He knew Sakura didn't really need the guard but he was doing this because it was asked of him and he needed to know she was safe.

* * *

 **One More Chapter Today!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	23. Exhausting

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Exhausting**

Sasuke watched as she worked through the night, snarling, growling and snapping at anyone who dared to come into what she had dubbed to be 'her lab' and tried to tell her to go rest. Sasuke was not simply not stupid or suicidal enough to go poke at her so instead he made certain she had enough caffeine and was left alone in relative peace. There was just nothing more he could do for her other than sit as a look out and deflect the coming and going staff members of the Suna hospital before Sakura could threaten them with bodily harm for disrupting her.

It was funny, he did not remember her being this temperamental when they had been genin; sure she had been temperamental but not to this degree. He sent word to Kakashi on how the mission was going, he was waiting for a response which was likely to come in the next day or two. Until then though he was sitting guard over the woman and making certain she didn't attack one of the poor unsuspecting assistants with her frustration. At least he could take the punches, they probably couldn't. Thinking of the punches he poked his head into the lab to see her sound asleep at the desk

Walking in he gently touched her shoulder and roused her from her slumber.

"Huh?" she looked around, half her short pink hair was sticking up at odd angles and her eyes were bleary.

"Sakura, come on," he murmured.

"What!? No! I have to work, I've almost got the cure just give me a bit of time!" she said as she immediately resumed her work and he sighed internally as he let her do as she pleased because there was no way he'd be able to sway her to do differently.

"I got it!" she shouted and then she grabbed a paper and ran out of the lab. He followed her to make certain she was safe; not that any fool in this hospital was likely to attack her but one could never be too cautious. He watched her from afar as she started showing the Suna doctors her results and what she had found; he couldn't hear what was said all he saw was how happy they were about the results in Sakura's hand. She then ran off with four other staff members and he followed.

"We're going to make the antidote in stages but it should only take a few hours, I'll message my village to send the herbs we need tomorrow. For now this is the first stage of antidote," Sakura stated as he followed them into the gardens.

"First stage?"

"Yes, this will take three stages of antidote but if we work together and quickly we'll be able to beat the poison before it kills again," Sakura supplied. "Sasuke, messaged Kakashi, I have a list of things I need from our village," Sakura said as she handed him a letter.

"Aa," he nodded as he took it and went to the roof.

* * *

"Kakashi, are you certain it was a wise move to send Sakura and Sasuke on that mission together?" Ino asked when she walked into his office that morning. Kakashi frowned because he was tired of being questioned about his decision for this mission. He had sent them off together because they had stuff to straighten out together and short of locking the two of them up in a room together he didn't know what to do for them. Besides, Sasuke had returned home because he was concerned about Sakura; which in Kakashi's mind was a huge step forward.

"Yes, Ino," he snapped in frustration. Honestly, they were adults acting like children; this needed to stop! They needed to figure out how to work together or at least figure out how to be civil to one another again. Though he supposed he couldn't blame Sakura for being hurt or the Uchiha for being frustrated. It was annoying though to have two of his best shinobi at odds with one another and hell bent on hurt each other unintentionally. Well, all of this was coming to an end now; and they could either patch things up or vow to never work together again. He didn't care which but they would have this all sorted out before the end of that mission or so help him he'd have another bells test for them to work on and they'd both hate that!

* * *

Sakura stood there collecting the herbs and blending the antidote when she felt her world waver and her legs tremble beneath her.

No! She had to keep working, she had to solve this problem! She was not a weak girl! She was going to prove that to Sasuke, no matter what it cost her today because she wanted him to see she had changed. If he wouldn't see her then by Kami he was going to see she had grown up and changed! She was going to let him continue thinking of her as weak.

Shaking her head a bit she focused intently on everything she was working on and shoved her exhaustion to the side. She had worked worse hours at the hospital, and she'd lived off of less sleep, she was not going to let exhaustion get the best of her. No! Sakura was going to get this antidote prepped and ready to go and then she'd go to sleep, she'd rest for a few hours and get to work on the second antidote.

That was the plan, that was what she was going to do because she was not going to be so weak as to let something as simple as exhaustion get her down.

No, it was not going to get her.

Sakura's body though wasn't cooperating as she felt herself sway again.

"Sakure?" a voice called her and she didn't get a chance to reply that she was fine before her world went black and she collapsed on the ground.

"Quick! Someone get help and alert Sasuke!" a voice called out, and that was the last thing she heard before exhaustion claimed her.

* * *

 **That's the final chapter today! I'll be back with three more tomorrow!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	24. Admitting Defeat

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Admitting Defeat**

Sakura was shook gently on her shoulder, cracking an eye open she found herself looking at the Uchiha then as she lay on something soft. Groaning she moved away from him, mostly so he couldn't hurt her and rubbed her eyes free of the sleep in them. A sigh escaped her lips when her hand fell limply down onto the bed and she stared at the ceiling of her hotel. Well, was this not fantastic!? She thought sarcastically, she had managed to succumb to exhaustion. No doubt everyone was laughing hysterically of this fact and how she'd worked herself into unconsciousness.

"Sakura, the patients are responding well to the first round of treatments," he informed her softly and she turned her head to look at him.

"They administered it?" she asked.

"Followed your notes and finished making it before testing and administering it yesterday," he answered in a quiet tone.

"And it's working?" she asked.

"Aa, so far," he admitted.

"Good," she sighed and then she rubbed her brow from the throbbing headache she had there and ignored the Uchiha who was watching her closely. "Anything else?"

"Yes, you are under strict bed rest orders until you are well again from the Kazekage, Hokage, Tsunade, and me," Sasuke informed her. "And Tsunade said if you argued with her I was to give you the evasion work out, and since it involves explosives and you are half dead I'd rather not have to do that to you."

"You told them!" she bolted up.

"No, I did," her head snapped over to the door where she glared at the Kazekage.

"WHY!?" she shouted.

"Because you would not listen and do as you were told and rest we were forced to make the decision for you," Gaara informed her. she scowled as she folded her arms.

"I am not weak!" she snapped.

"No one said you were, Sakura, but you need rest; everyone needs rest," Gaara stated and she sighed as she stared at her lap then. She couldn't really argue with a former insomniac. Sleep was important, but she had never found it to be easy when she was distracted with his presence. She wished he'd go away to leave her alone. She didn't like having Sasuke here when he had shattered her heart again and now wanted to make amends with her. it was confusing to her heart. Again.

"Everyone needs you well Sakura," Sasuke informed her softly as Gaara left.

"Would everyone just stop toying with my heart! It was bad enough when you started ignoring me and now you won't leave me alone!" Sakura finally cried out as she clutched her head. "You're confusing me and I can barely focus, I can't eat, I can't sleep, and I can't stop hoping! Why do you do this to me?"

"Sakura," he touched her shoulder and she turned to glare at him with teary eyes. "I'm not trying to toy with you, and I'm not trying to mess you up."

"Could've fooled me…" she snorted as she felt a few of her tears slip past her guard.

* * *

Sasuke sighed and then he caught her chin as he pulled her teary face to him and kissed her.

"How about I take you out for the night?" he suggested when she stared at him for a moment, then she smiled slightly.

"Are you asking me on a date because you feel sorry for me or because you want to date me?" she asked, and he frowned at the neat little trap she had laid out for him to fall into and be impaled on. No doubt both answers were wrong, but he didn't think it was of great importance if he fell in or not. He'd get it through this thick pink head of hers' that she meant a great deal to him though he couldn't always express it in the big ways Naruto insisted was needed.

"Sakura, I am asking you out because I think you need a break and because I happen to like you," Sasuke answered softly as he swiped at the tears on her cheek. He made her cry too much. he knew that but he didn't seem to be able to make himself stop hurting her even when he wanted nothing more than to stop hurting her.

"Do you really like me or is this another pity her and then drop kick her to the curb dates; I've had that before," she muttered miserably.

"I like you," he said firmly and he stood up to leave her to get ready.

"I doubt that but thanks for the date anyway, I'll get ready," she mumebled as he left her and he felt like marching back into the hotel room to strangle her to get this through her thick head. She was one of the most important people in his life, he didn't know why she couldn't see that. it wasn't so hard to believe was it? He had no idea, however, she had told him what he was going to do to prove he wanted her, and prove it he would.

"Give it time Uchiha, and take her here," he looked over to the Kazekage who handed him a piece of paper. "You'll need to change as well," he said as he walked away. Sasuke just stared at the paper in his hand as he stared at where he was now taking Sakura for the night.

He blinked twice and sighed; damn, he couldn't wear the poncho, he'd have to shower and change. With this in mind he hurried to his room and did both with ease and when he slipped the final button on his shirt into place he walked out of his room and straight to Sakura's door. Using his Sharingan he saw her chakra to still be there and settled for waiting for her. at least she was awake, whe he had been told she had collapsed he had panicked until it was discovered she was just sleeping and for two days he had sat guard over her as she slept.

"Ready," she came out of the room and his breath hitched at the sight of her.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	25. Poisonous

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Poisonous**

Sakura walked out of the room and his breath hitched as he felt his heart race and his eyes roam over her. she was dressed very innocently, he could see that, it was not a face dress or anything either. It was a normal loose girl dress, however he couldn't look away from her in that green dress. It was very lovely and she looked like spring dressed in it.

"You look nice," he settled. She sighed, and he knew it was the wrong word but workds were not really his specialty. They never had been, even as a child, he knew if someone didn't know exactly what he meant then they'd never understand what he was trying to say. There were times he wished he was better with words but he just wasn't, instead he took her hand and entwined their fingers as he walked with her through the hotel. She was shocked by his actions, he could tell with how she walked with him. However, he felt her relax.

"You know, even if this is a pity date thanks," she murmured.

"Haruno Sakuraa, this is not a pity date, if it was I would not be the one taking you," he stated firmly for it was true. He did not do the pity thing, he'd received too much of it as a child. She blinked and he squeezed her hand because it felt right.

"I guess that could be true," she mumbled more to herself than him. He nodded in agreement and they walked out of the hotel. He was never again breaking her, he was never again going to brush her aside or harm her, that was all he thought as they walked to the restaurant Gaara had told him to take her to.

"The Kazekage sent us," he said to the owner who greeted them.

"This way," Sasuke was reluctant to follow but he did so as he let Sakura lead the way a bit as they walked after the owner. He didn't know what to think of this, it was a very nice place though. He would even admit that as they walked together.

"The Kazekage told us you'd be coming, have a seat, order whatever you would like," the man sad as Sasuke seated Sakura. Then he sat across from her as they sat in silence. He was reading over the menu and trying not to stare at her.

It was difficult not to stare at her. Sakura just looked too damn beautiful for her own good. However, he refused to let anyone know just how distracting this woman was to him as he read his menu in silence.

They placed their orders and then only had to wait. Sakura was sipping her drink and then she spoke to him.

"Do you mean it? That you like me?" she asked as she looked up to him with large serious green eyes. It was another one of her traps; he knew it, but he couldn't find it in him to mind her little traps.

* * *

"Yes, Sakura, I like you," he said firmly and she felt her heart flutter. It was strange to feel so secure and insecure. But with Sasuke she wasn't really secure, she loved him but she was not secure with him. He was the largest unknown for her ever, she did not think there was a greater unknown in her life than Uchiha Sasuke.

"Are you interested in me as a woman or as a friend?" she asked.

"Both?" he tilted his head then and she smiled to herself. That was actually a very good answer in her mind because that meant there was hope to her that even if she couldn't be with him then she could perhaps one day be his friend at the very least.

"Good answer," she smiled softly as dinner was served and they ate it with a companionable silence with the occasional snippet of conversation here and there. This was Uchiha Sasuke and to expect ore even demand conversation from him was rather like demanding the sky to turn into the ocean. It wasn't going to happen, and she wasn't out to change him. She was just out to be with him in some way, it was all she wanted ever since she had been a little girl.

"Sakura!" a voice called her and her head went up and she saw one of the hospital doctors.

"What is it?" she wiped her mouth and stood ready to go, Sasuke was up as well.

"The patients!" the doctor huffed, her heart clenched. "They're getting worse," he informed her. she ran out of the restaurant with Sasuke on her heels and that doctor chasing after them. She leapt over the civilians and landed on the wall as she ran with chakra holding her on the wall. Landing outside the hospital she burst in and stalked through the area, everyone was scrambling out of her way.

"What are the symptoms?" she demanded as she pulled her hair back and walked with a doctor assigned to the patients.

"Seizing, vomiting, fever and it appears that their organs are starting to melt…" the doctor handed her the clip board and she started reading through the patients' vitals. Sasuke said nothing but she could feel him following her as they moved through the halls.

"Alright, I'm going to need the following and immediately," she said to the doctor and quickly listed off what was needed to stabilize the patients for the time being. "And send word to the Leaf that I need the following herbs, and I needed them yesterday," she snapped to a nurse who immediately started writing down everything she said as she walked in to check on the first patient.

"Sorry about dinner," she spun on her heels to the Uchiha who grabbed her as a doctor ran past her.

"Later, go," he said and she smiled slightly as she darted off. She walked up to the first and most critical patient to get to work.

* * *

 **Alright, so it's not three chapters but we're getting close to the end, there's only a few more chapters after this and I'm posting them over the course of this week.**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	26. Sources

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Sources**

Sakura worked well into the night, her hair was pulled back and her mind focused as she worked. Nothing could have her faltering as she worked to make the second antidote and to keep the symptoms at bay for these victims. She could feel Sasuke watching her from his corner but she ignored him while she worked.

"Dr. Haruno, what are you thinking?" a doctor finally asked.

"It's a mixture of poisons, that's the only explanation for these particular symptoms, but the only question is what kind of poison mixture. I've broken down the bacterial poison and we find a cure for that, now they are displaying symptoms of a rare disease," she said as she looked at all the scans of the patients she had. Biting the nail of her thumb she stepped back and looked over all the information and compared it with everything she knew off the top of her head.

"Doctor?" the other doctor looked at her.

"It's not a poison, it's a disease, we've been looking at this all wrong!" she finally concluded. "The bacteria probably carried a virus, and when the bacteria was purged from the patients' systems with the antidote the virus was released into the body," she said as she tilted her head and thought about this. This was all very elaborate no matter how it was sliced but it was better that it was a virus than a bacteria making these people ill.

"What does this mean for the patients?" the doctor asked.

"Well, it means that if we can keep the stable and comfortable we might be able to cure them, you tend to them, I'll be looking for the cure," she said. "I need blood from every patient, I need a lab and I need time, if any of them get worse call me, I'm summoning Katsuyu again. We'll use my chakra to keep the patients stable."

"Alright," the doctor said, she sliced her thumb again and summoned the slug.

"Katsuyu will please go keep watch over the patients," she kindly ordered and then walked towards a lab with one part of Katsuyu in her pocket. Quickly Sakura started writing everything down and received the blood samples she had asked for. Starting work on those she settled in for a long night of work when she felt his presence over her shoulder.

"You don't need to stay," she informed him.

"Hn," he grunted and she looked over her shoulder in time to see him make himself at home in a corner with her blade propped up on his shoulder and his head resting against the wall. He was clearly far too used to this in her mind.

"You know I'm going to be here all night, right?" she asked as she started prepping the blood for the tests she wanted to run; finding the virus was going to be the most important part of this little mission tonight.

"Aa," he nodded as he closed his eyes and she sighed.

"Suit yourself," she grumbled.

* * *

Sasuke left her to work alone and he decided to rest in a state that wasn't quite sleep but he was not awake. It was somewhere between the two because he was alert to everything around him and he was just silently resting. Everything had been going smoothly on the 'date' if it could be called that and he was certain that he'd be able to win her over in a little while. It wouldn't be that hard to prove to her that he cared, he'd just have to make more of an effort at it than he had been.

His ears tune to her movements and he slowed his breathing as he settled his body and cleared his mind. It wouldn't do to be unfocused while he rested. He didn't really care to be groggy, and had perfected this method of resting years ago. Mostly so Orochimaru or Kabuto couldn't sneak up on him and try to steal his body. And yes, despite his promise to Orochimaru of 'I'll hand my body over if you get me my revenge', he'd lied. He had no intentions of ever handing his body over, he had just needed to bide his time and take all outwait them all. He was patient and good at waiting and planning.

Sakura snarled a bit as she worked but he wasn't roused by her grumblings. He wondered if she knew she was noisy and annoying even when she was focused and working in her lab. Perhaps there was a valid reason for everyone to fear her now, she snarled like she was a dragon or lioness. He didn't think she had done that when they were genin unless she was yelling at Naruto in which case he'd always wisely stand back.

Sasuke had never wanted the wrath of Haruno Sakura on him because the woman had a temper which made Kurama look like a fluffy fox cub, which was saying something. The girl had been terrifying, however the woman… well, she made the Tailed Beasts look tame in comparison. Sasuke would do just about anything to avoid having her wrath turned upon him.

"Damn it!" she shouted and his eyes flew open to look at her back then he shut them again. There was some clunking around but he ignored it until she snarled like a tiger and then he opened his eyes to watch her.

She was working diligently but then saw her turn on him and her brilliant green eyes narrowed.

"What would you do if you were going to poison an entire shinobi team? How would you do it?" she asked him.

"Their water?" he guessed. Sakura blinked as she sighed then.

"See, I tested that and it isn't how they were infected, I'm thinking it was not ingested." She looked discouraged.

"Their sleeping bags," he shrugged. She stared at him with wide eyes.

"Uchiha Sasuke that's fucking brilliant!" she darted over and kissed him hard and then she was gone as he sat there stunned. What had just happened?

* * *

 **One More Chapter Today!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	27. Healing

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Healing**

Sakura grinned when she dressed in something akin to a hazmat suit and gathering up the clothes and sleeping gear she brought them into a separate lab and started examining them for traces of the poison and smiled deviously.

"I got you, you son of a bitch!" she declared happily as she she took a sample and returned to her lab and resumed her work on the poison. Sasuke hadn't really moved but she knew he was fully alert to everything that she was doing as she worked. Sakura was humming in her delight as she worked on the poison.

Breaking it down she then started listing all the ways to cure this and she grinned to herself as she worked. This was going to work. Quickly she started making the antidote and cure for this poison. It was tedious work but she was figuring it out when she finally tested it and smiled as the poison disapated.

"Alright, the supplies for the village will help mass make this antidote," she said softly as she worked and then she looked up to one of the Suna doctors and he just blinked at her.

"Here's the breakdown of the antidote, make it in these proportions exactly, there is no room for error here, and when you've completed that started giving the antidote to the patients," she ordered as she started working on making more of the antidote and she nearly cried in delight at having won this battle against the poison master.

* * *

Sasuke watched her bustle around the patient room then as she distributed her antidote and he felt relieved that this was working. The sooner they finished up here the sooner they could return home and the journey home was going to be the time he figured out Sakura. that was his promise to himself as he watched the pinkette move around. How did she have all this energy?

It was like she had a never ending supply of energy as she moved from patient's bed to patient's bed asking them all sorts of questions. Sasuke was just relieved that this was working, he didn't think he'd ever be able to be a medic if this was how invested they all got with their patients.

Looking up he noticed Gaara coming to stand beside him.

"I think everything will be alright now," Gaara said softly as they both stood there watching.

"Aa," he nodded.

"You know you are lucky she always forgives you," Gaara said and he nodded in agreement as they both watched the pinkette.

"Do not ever take it for granted again," Gaara said firmly and Sasuke blinked as he slid a warning look to the Kazekage. "Friends should never be taken for granted," Gaara said firmly.

"And why would it matter to you how I treat my friends?" Sasuke asked darkly.

"Because, we have shared that same look in our eyes before, I know the pain you've felt and I understand you," Gaara said simply. "I hope you realize that you have friends who care about you."

* * *

Leaving them alone Gaara walked to his office and hoped for the best for the Uchiha and he knew that stupid infatuation with the pinkette was over. There was no way he'd ever get her, she was the Uchiha's and he knew that.

He smiled to himself as he remembered the first time he had seen her and admired her.

Sakura had leapt between him and Sasuke with a look of pure determination as she defied her obvious fear. He had admired her for that courage, he had not ever met anyone willing to do what she had done for the Uchiha. It was a dangerous thing to do get between him and whatever the demon had wanted to devour but the pinkette had done it and though he had crushed her, he had admired her for that. It was admirable.

But now it was time to send the message to Naruto that they were once again on good terms with one another since that seemed to be Naruto and Kakashi's biggest concerns. He understood why though, when they had arrived it was like dealing with two spitting cats honestly. Sitting at his desk he wrote the missive to Kakashi and sent it off as he leaned back in his seat. He was pleased with their ability to now be in the same room and not be at one another's throats. It was probably a good beginning.

* * *

 **Shorter than normal but it's all I've got for this so...**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	28. Fleeting

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Fleeting**

Sakura was sound asleep at her desk as she rested for a moment. She opened her eyes when a hand touched her shoulder and she bolted up to look at Sasuke then she blinked as she looked around the room and tried to get her bearings.

"What happened?" she yawned as she stretched, her back was arching and she heard everything popping as she sat up on the chair.

"Your patients, they're doing well," Sasuke informed her as he stroked her hair. She sighed as she tilted into his touch and her heavy eyes drooped a bit.

"Right, why are you here?" she asked him as she stood up and pulled away from him, her entire body was stretching as she pulled her hands over her head and felt every joint in her pop.

"The Kazekage, he wants to see you in his office," he said and she sighed as she finally relaxed and sighed as she nodded and walked away from him out of her lab. A hand grabbed her and she spun into him only for him to kiss her then.

"What was that for?" she breathed when he pulled away from her.

"Reminder," he said and he let her go. She was stunned as she walked towards the Kazekage office and she rubbed her arms. Uchiha Sasuke had kissed her, and he hadn't done it because of prompting or reminding. Sakura grinned as she felt a spring in her step as she made her way towards Gaara.

* * *

Sasuke watched her go and then he went up towards their hotel to pack again. It was time to get ready to leave and he was ready to return Sakura to the village. He would have to work on keeping in touch with Sakura, but he had no doubt that he could do this because it wasn't for him. He was going to be doing this because it was for her.

Looking out at the village in the desert he felt… relieved. They weren't going to be fixed up instantly but there was a chance that they could fix whatever they had together. Sasuke looked at the pack and he rubbed his brow as he thought this over. It was not going to be easy, it wasn't going to be simple, and he knew that but he could figure this out.

Looking over to the window he opened it to let his hawk into his room and pulled the missive from Kakashi. Reading over it he sat down on the bed and felt nothing but relief, laying on the bed he read over the letter twice and then stared at his ceiling. This was good news, it was good for him because he'd be out of the village longer, it was bad for Sakura because he'd be leaving the village again. He'd have to figure out how to break the news to Sakura. Whatever this thing between them was he didn't want to give it up, and he did not want to lose her.

* * *

Kakashi was relieved when he had heard word from Gaara that Sakura and Sasuke had figured out how to be together and that Sakura had figured out how to cure the victims of the poisoning. He was just pleased that this was all going how he had wanted it to. It was a nice change of pace…

Now if only he could get everyone off his back about the inauguration ceremony. He didn't want one and it was driving him insane to keep hearing from everyone how he needed on. They just weren't his thing, he'd sooner chidori himself than stand before a crowd and announce he was Hokage. There were better things to do with his time to, like sneek reading Make Out Tactics around his paperwork and trying to keep the village running smoothly and…

"Kakashi! Guess what!?" Naruto barged into the office then.

"What?" he sighed as he looked up at Naruto who was bouncing in his excitement. Honestly, he was like a child more times than not. Sasuke was not this excitable and neither was Sakura; so how was that the blonde knucklehead was always bouncing with excitement.

"I figured out how to do the shadow clone jutsu!" he announced with glee and held up his left hand to do the jutsu for him. Kakashi blinked when there was another knucklehead grinning and standing right beside the original.

"SEE!" Naruto pointed in his glee, and Kakashi sighed.

All he wanted was peace and quiet.

* * *

"Thank you for your aid, Sakura," Gaara said as she walked into his office.

"Yeah, no problem," Sakura smiled as she walked in. "I'm glad that the patients are alright and will be making a full recovery. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"You are to return to your village immediately," Gaara said as he pulled the letter sent to him by Kakashi and she bit her lip as she took it from him. Gaara was tempted to offer her a position here but she belonged in her own village with her friends. And her family, she did not belong here even if he would want her here. He had grown rather fond of the pinkette but he wasn't going to hold her here.

"Thank you Gaara," she smiled as she looked up from the letter she was reading he nodded.

"You are welcome Sakura," he said and he watched as she hurried away from his office and he smiled slightly. She was a gone, and she was fleeting. He was just relieved that she hadn't destroyed his village when she had captured the poison master. Perhaps he should keep tabs on the pinkette and if the Uchiha left her he would try to lure her back. He did like her, she was a warm, friendly presence in his life and someone he did count to be a friend. She was also a beautiful woman, he looked at the door she had exited and sat down to work.

* * *

 **One more chapter today!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	29. Sweet Goodbyes

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Sweet Goodbyes**

It was night when they made camp in the desert after having left Suna. He looked to the pinkette who was making up her sleeping bag and sitting near the fire.

"Sakura," he called out softly and she turned then, he just looked her over. She was a really beautiful woman, he had to admit he liked her form.

"Yes?"

"I received another mission," he informed her and pulled out the letter from Kakashi. She looked at her feet then, he sighed as he walked over and handed the letter in her hands.

"This is goodbye isn't it?" she mumbled as she took the letter, he smirked.

"No," he answered only to have those green eyes flick up to him as he tilted her chin up. A fast move had his lips on hers' because he found it to be addicting, reassuring, and good. It was good to kiss her, it made him feel alive and if made him feel good to know she was real and not an illusion of his own genjutsu.

"What do you mean?" she asked ludicrously as he pulled away.

"I want you Sakura," he said it bluntly and he decided to be as bluntly honest as he could be with her because it was probably going to be the only way he could convey to her that this was all an unknown to him. Girls in general were a mystery because he had spent his youth focused on revenge and not women, also there was no one he really trusted enough to talk to about girls. Kakashi, while something like an uncle to him, was like a father to Sakura and he was not question Kakashi too much about the matter. There was no way he'd talk to the dobe about it, it just wasn't happening; same with Sai.

"Do you mean it?" she whispered uncertainly.

"Yes, I just don't know anything about this stuff," he informed her flatly.

"Huh?"

"Dates, dating, wanting to be around someone; I know nothing about it, I will have absolutely no idea how to date you Sakura," he stated. "But I want you, I want you happy, and safe, I want to make you happy."

"Really?"

"Aa," he nodded and kissed her brow as he hoped to Kami she understood what he was saying and what he meant because he wasn't trying to get out of this, he was trying to get her to open her eyes and realize what he was and how he was trying. He'd still work on everything she had asked of him, he'd try to let her it, try to date her, try to be proper with her; he just had no fucking clue how to do that. A weight against his chest had him wrapping his arm around her then and his chin resting on her head.

"Alright, I'll try to help you out," she mumbled.

"Good, because I have no fucking clue what I'm doing, and if you tell the dobe that I'm denying it!" he hissed down at her. She laughed.

* * *

They made it to the village gates when he dropped her off with a poke to the brow and a see you later before he ran off for his next mission. She was walking home with a smile and the promise from the Uchiha ringing in her ears. He was going to try to date her they were going to have to figure this out. It wasn't going to be easy, she knew that, but she was willing to try with him if he was serious about trying to date her. Sasuke was one to never try anything half-assed so she didn't feel the need to worry about their dating not being something he took seriously.

All she did know for certain though was that neither one of them really knew what they were doing in the dating department.

But Sasuke had promised her real letters, and he'd try to let her in. Apparently not even Naruto was someone Sasuke opened up to, so he didn't really know how this was going to work. Sakura assured him that she'd never hurt him when he chose to let her in, he had only nodded and said he'd try. It was the reason she was grinning happily while she returned to her apartment. She and Uchiha Sasuke were officially going to try this out, she was ecstatic.

"Sakura!" she turned to see Naruto jogging up to her with a huge grin on his face.

"Hey Naruto," she smiled at him and waited a moment for him to catch up to her. "What's up?"

"Watch this! Watch this!" she was bouncing like an eager child and she watched as he clumsily wove a sign with one hand and in a puff of smoke there was another Naruto standing there.

"Wow," she nodded as she began examining the clone seriously. "Not bad, Naruto, not bad," she mused and then she looked to the grinning original who was nodding at her praise.

"I know! It only took eight months but I finally figured out how to weave signs with one hand!" Naruto was bouncing in his glee and then he spotted Iruka-sensei and was running off leaving her without his clone or him. She laughed as Naruto ran off to show off the clone and walked into her apartment then.

The air was musty after her being gone for so long, she noticed her plant was dead but didn't feel discouraged about it as she dropped her gear, kicked off her shoes and walked to her bed. With a huge sigh she fell onto it and then smiled. She was officially dating Uchiha Sasuke!

It was her dream come true as she laughed in delight and hugged herself then she sat up. This was the best news of her life! Uchiha Sasuke wanted her not just as a woman but as herself; which was a lovely first. And that reminded her, she needed to get a prescription for birth control, and to see Tsunade about having lost her virginity on the trip home. For now though she was sleeping.

* * *

 **The Final Chapter Will Be Posted Tomorrow!**

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Enjoy Only Tears! =)**


	30. Teary Reunions

**I Do Not Own Naruto**

 **Teary Reunions**

It had been a year since they had gotten into a rhythm with their relationship. Yes, one whole entire year before their relationship had any sense of rhythm; and after the terrorist scare she had endured; he had sworn to keep her in the loop on everything he was up to. If only to evade her temper again; he had become very good at evading her when she was mad, and they were rarely ever really together. However today was different for some reason, she couldn't quite put her finger on what was different only that her day and her world seemed alright in her eyes. Everything was good today.

Which had her humming to herself after having stopped at the market to pick up the foods she'd need for dinner tonight. Part of her was hoping Sasuke was home, another part of her wasn't getting it's hopes up too much because having them dashed could ruin her day. But no matter, she was humming to herself with her shopping bags in each hand as she tried to figure out why today was such a fabulous day. Not that it really mattered why it was a good day, but still, she was curious what could have her in such a wonderful mood.

Finally she made it to her apartment building and pulled out the key she had in her pocket. So relaxed was she that she hadn't really registered the presence behind her until a hand took her groceries from her. Spinning around Sakura pulled back her fist ready for a fight only to find herself slammed up against the door with a set of hard lips on hers'. Two onyx eyes were staring at her when they pulled away and before she could stop herself she smiled as she threw her arms around him.

"Sasuke!" she grinned against his neck.

"I'm home," he informed her in that matter-of-fact tone which had her kissing the pulse beating in his neck.

"I'm happy you're home, come in!" she ordered as she unlocked her door and dragged him, her groceries and herself into her apartment before he could refuse her or before Naruto could appear to drag him off. She was smiling with delight as she shoved him into a seat at her kitchen table then started bustling around her kitchen to make a light dinner for herself and Sasuke.

"How are you?" she demanded as she started cooking.

"Fine, you?" he asked and she smiled as she served up the light meal she had made. It was quick; instant rice and some vegetables with left over meat in a bowl; not fancy or anything but it was enough to get dinner done.

"I've been having a really good day!" she smiled. "When did you get back?"

"Ten minutes ago, you were in the market," he said calmly as they started eating in silence. It wasn't a heavy or awkward silence, it was a peaceful, companionable silence.

"I'm glad you're home," she whispered and smiled shyly.

* * *

She had just finished washing the dishes, but he could still taste her on his lips from when he had kissed her against the front door of her apartment. He wanted to taste her again, which was why he was following her to her tiny kitchen. She was humming, it was some catchy tune which only making him want to do this more.

She gasped when he spun her around, she melted though when he kissed her hard and deep, pulling her close to him as he moved his mouth against hers'. Sakura's arms came around his shoulders as she pulled her tiny frame up, he wrapped his arm under her butt as he put her onto the counter; her legs wrapped securely around his hips and held him tight and close.

"Sasuke," she whispered, he said nothing to her as he kissed her harder and felt her tug at his shirt as she pulled it up his back, he pulled away long enough for her to yank it over his head and toss it, she was grinning in delight. At least until he yanked at her shirt and then she was grumbling with irritation at the barrier which he was pulling at.

Her bra was discarded somewhere between the kitchen and her room, and the rest of the night was full of half-forgotten passions since they hadn't been together since that first night.

There was a scream from her when he slid into her, rocking himself in slowly with how tight she was, he could only chant her name as her nails raked his back and she wrapped around him. It felt divine being in her again that he just held still for a moment until she moved. Then all hope was lost for just savoring the moment as they moved together.

It was later in the night, or earlier the next morning at the coming of dawn when Sakura stirred. She was sleeping comfortably on his chest and he was content for just a moment to enjoy this peace he felt with her. Looking to her nightstand he was startled to see the box of letters there, he smiled a bit to himself when he saw one laying open on her nightstand.

Over the last year his letters had gotten longer and hers' had resumed their normal length and consistent sending. He tried to send her one at least once a week; not because he didn't like writing her but he was on a mission and writing her daily would just be counterproductive. Even she had agreed to this as she accepted a long letter a week with glee.

"Sasuke," she moaned out as she shifted in her sleep, he looked at his pink lover as she moved against him and curled up on her side pressing snuggly against him.

"Love you," she whisperted and his heart stopped for a moment as the world stilled.

"Aa," he replied and kissed her brow; he couldn't say he loved her just yet, but hearing it just now had brought a mist to his eyes as he let himself sleep again.

* * *

 **Thanks for sticking with me this long!**

 **I'm sorry about my outburst a few chapters back, I only want you to know that my life was not great at the time of that outburst and I had been receiving a lot of complaints on this story through PMs and reviews; that's no excuse for the outburst but it is the reason for it. My life was falling apart and it hurt a lot to hear the complaints about chapter lengths or how I was depicting the characters, I am still sorry for the outburst. I'm not sorry for how I created this story, it turned out how it was always going to turn out.**

 **Thanks to my reviewers: WaterPrincess17, Guest, Guest, poladots, Strings of a Puppet, LadyMartel4000, Wangz, toougletoselfie, Chaseyn, , sigh, crazymel2008, ifup, tgsama, Lady Shenzuki, Guest, Meemy-Chan, Sanban, Shishu-sama, Ming, Selkura, simplegirl42, Guest, Me, ElevatedJewel, Guest, Seashell, EvilNekoEye, Guest, WrenoYami, Maximum Rose Ride, Guest, Blissangel91494, kenni no. 1, Entangled Fate, Tigermage, EzzieSkull, xFlipJamsx, Guest, Naelyn, Guest, May21Spring, schaeferkristen06, KewlFoxyKatt, blankit, Guest, Guest, Guest, and Guest for your support and reviews it's meant a lot! =)**

 **Thanks to all my silent readers who've kept on reading my works!**

 **Thanks for sticking around with me this long!**

 **That's all folks!**

 **I hope you've enjoyed Only Tears! =)**


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